This Grilled Romaine with Cucumber Dill Dressing takes the boring out of salad. It adds excitement to any low-carb, ketogenic, diabetic, lc/hf, gluten-free, or grain-free meal.
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Have you tried grilled salad yet? I didn’t even know greens could be grilled until grilled salads started popping up on menus in restaurants everywhere.
The first time I tried grilled lettuce, I ordered it at a restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised by the effect the grill had on the greens. Grilling softened the flavor of the leaves and added a smoky, yet almost sweet flavor.
After tasting grilled greens at a restaurant, I knew I had to try grilling them at home. After a bit of playing around on the grill, I decided I liked grilling romaine. It holds together well and allows the outside leaves to get a bit roasted on the edges, but still maintains some crispness in the core.
If you’ve never grilled lettuce before, don’t worry. It’s super easy. Just brush the romaine on all sides, sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill for a few minutes on all sides. It’s a simple way to add elegance to a meal!
The smoky, sweet flavor of the grilled romaine works perfectly with cucumber dressing. The dressing has a garlicky sour cream base with some white wine vinegar to brighten the flavor. While dill is the predominant herb in the dressing, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes makes tastebuds tingle. Diced cucumber gives it a cooling crunch.
I like to serve this salad by spooning the cucumber dressing over the half head of lettuce. If you prefer, you could chop the lettuce and toss it with the dressing. Either way, it’s delicious!
This salad makes a delicious addition to any meal. Enjoy!
-Annissa

Grilled Romaine with Cucumber Dill Dressing
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated stevia/erythritol blend
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill (or 1/2 teaspoon fresh dill)
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 4 ounces cucumber (about 1/4 medium) peeled and diced
For the romaine:
- 3 heads romaine rinsed, dried, and cut in half lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt
- black pepper
Instructions
For the dressing:
Whisk together the sour cream and the garlic. Slowly whisk in the creme, then the olive oil. Stream in the vinegar while continuing to whisk.
Whisk in the sweetener, dill, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and pepper. Stir in diced cucumber. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Dressing can be made up to two days ahead. Stir before serving.
For the romaine:
Preheat grill to high heat.
Brush each half romaine head with olive oil on all sides. Sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper.
Place romaine heads on preheated grill using tongs. Grill with the top open for 1-3 minutes or until outer leaves of the romaine just start to brown. Turn and repeat for the other sides.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 head of Romaine and 1/6th of the dressing
Per serving:
Calories: 113
Fat (g): 12
Carbs (g): 1
Fiber (g): 0
Protein (g): 0
Net carbs (g): 1
I was intrigued by this idea and tried it last night. I did roast the lettuce in the oven instead of the grill and so probably got different results. I sprayed it with cooking spray and lightly seasoned with steak seasoning (as I do all roasted veggies). I baked it at 350 for about 25 minutes. It was kind of limp but the taste was really great and I will try it again. I will also try grilling it as it would have been crisper. I made the dressing and loved it also but it isn’t really necessary. Thanks for this great idea!
You’re welcome! Thanks for the feedback. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
-Annissa