If you’ve never grilled your salad before, let me introduce you to your new summer obsession. This Grilled Romaine with Crispy Chickpeas and Buttermilk Ranch is smoky, creamy, crunchy, and a total vibe. The romaine gets just charred enough to bring out its flavor, then it’s loaded with crispy, spiced chickpeas, juicy tomatoes, and a generous drizzle of tangy buttermilk ranch. It’s giving backyard dinner party, it’s giving “I eat vegetables and I like it,” and it all comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Why Grilled Romaine is a Game Changer
Grilled romaine brings out this smoky, charred flavor, adding serious summer vibes to any run-of-the-mill salad.
Romaine hearts stay crispy and crunchy on the inside, and soft and smoky on the outside- it’s the perfect blend of textures for any summertime salad.
Bonus? This is a salad that feels fancy, but requires very little effort. It’s a sneaky way for you to up your salad game! This salad is great as a side dish, but personally, I love having it as the whole meal. The chickpeas add protein, the salad adds volume and crunch, and the homemade ranch is the cool dressing that brings it all together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Romaine hearts (halved lengthwise)
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper
- Crispy chickpeas (homemade or store-bought)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Buttermilk ranch dressing (you can swap in your favorite store-bought version if you’d like!)
- Optional: extra herbs for topping, chopped bacon, shaved parmesan
How to Grill Romaine (Without Wilting It Into Sadness)
There are a few small tricks of the trade when it comes to grilling romaine for a salad.
First, make sure the romaine hearts you’re using are tightly packed and fresh to the touch. The fresher and crispier, the better they’ll hold up to the heat of the grill.
Next, make sure the pan or the grill you’re using a preheated. The romaine isn’t on there for very long, and we want the char marks to pop up quickly, without wilting the leaves.
Brush the romaine with a little olive oil before putting it on the grill, and a soft dusting of salt and pepper. This brings the flavor up to the max!
Serve the same day you grill. This isn’t a lettuce that holds up very well to storage.
You might also like:
Greek Beef Gyro Salad with Lemon Couscous and Yogurt-Tahini Dressing
Cobb Salad with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing
Customization Ideas
There are lots of ways to spice up this grilled romaine salad. Top it with grilled chicken or cooked shrimp if you want extra protein. Crispy fried tofu would work great, too!
If you’re not up for making your own homemade ranch, you can swap in your favorite store-bought brand. Or go rogue and use a classic Caesar dressing, either homemade or purchased. The creamier, the better!
Croutons would also add extra crunch on top of – or instead of- crispy chickpeas.
Meal Prep Tips
This is a good salad to prep ahead of time for a meal prep, although I do recommend grilling the romaine hearts the same day you eat it. That grilled, charred texture of the leaves can turn soggy super fast after being stored in the fridge.
But the chickpeas and dressing can be made p to a week ahead! They both store well when sealed tightly.
Store the chickpeas at room temperature, and store the dressing in the fridge for up to one week.
Grill your salad and thank me later! This Grilled Romaine with Crispy Chickpeas and Buttermilk Ranch is the perfect smoky, crunchy summer side dish.
Grilled Romaine with Crispy Chickpeas and Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
For the crispy chickpeas:
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the buttermilk ranch:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup buttermilk more to thin, if needed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the salad:
- 3 hearts of romaine halved lengthwise with core intact
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Optional toppings: shaved parmesan crispy bacon bits, halved cherry tomatoes
Instructions
Prep Ahead:
Roast the crispy chickpeas:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Pat the chickpeas dry with a clean towel. The drier they are, the crispier they get!
- Toss with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
- Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden and crunchy. Set aside to cool.
- Once cool, transfer to a sealed container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Make the buttermilk ranch:
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk.
- Stir in herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and lemon juice.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Adjust thickness with more buttermilk if needed.
- Transfer to a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to one week.
Prepare From Prepped:
Grill the romaine:
- Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Brush the cut sides of the romaine with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place cut-side down on the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until grill marks appear and the edges are slightly charred. Don’t overdo it—this is a kiss of flame, not a full char.
- Chop the romaine into bite sized pieces and divide among 4 bowls.
- Top with the crispy chickpeas, homemade ranch, and any other toppings (bacon, parmesan, cherry tomatoes)
Make From Fresh:
- Follow the instructions in “Prep Ahead” to make the crispy chickpeas and homemade ranch.
- Grill the romaine according to the instructions in “Prepare From Prepped”
- Divide among 4 bowls and combine the ingredients along with any other toppings you wish to add.
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