Crunchy Romaine Salad with Parmesan

This EASY Crunchy Romaine Salad with Parmesan is light, crisp, and refreshingly delicious! It is perfect for a quick lunch or as an easy and tasty side dish to a meal!

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll 🫶🏻 this Salad
• Key Ingredients for Crunchy Romaine Salad
• Equipment Needed
• Tips for Making Crunchy Romaine Salad
• Substitutions
• Serving Suggestions
• Crunchy Romaine Salad with Parmesan Recipe

Why You’ll 🫶🏻 this Salad

This salad recipe is ideal for quick lunches, hectic weeknights, and casual entertaining! It can be prepared in under 5 minutes, allowing you to focus on other daily and weeknight responsibilities, attend to additional elements of a more complex main course, and socialize with your guests. All ingredients can be prepared ahead of time, so you can enjoy this easy and delicious salad with just a toss and serve. Enjoy! ~Nicole

Key Ingredients for Crunchy Romaine Salad

Romaine Hearts consist of the fresh and delicate inner leaves of the Romaine head. They have a mild taste, are robust, and pair nicely with vinaigrettes and dressings. Be sure to wash and dry the leaves thoroughly to keep the Salad from getting soggy.

Shallots are a gentle and somewhat sweet variety of the onion family. They are an excellent way to enhance flavor without the strong and sharp kick.

Lemons add a fresh and zesty citrus flavor that elevates vinaigrette.

Extra-virgin olive oil – Select a high-quality olive oil with a peppery, slightly fruity flavor, ideal for salads rather than sautéing or marinating.

Parmesan cheese brings a bold, nutty taste. Buy it in wedge form and grate it yourself to enjoy the freshest flavor, free from additives or preservatives.

Crushed red pepper flakes bring a mild kick. You might want to try Aleppo pepper, which has a milder flavor than other hot peppers. Or you can skip the extra spice altogether.

Equipment Needed

• Salad spinner
• Microplane
• Lemon reamer/juicer

Tips for Making Crunchy Romaine Salad

1. This salad consists of just a handful of ingredients, so use high-quality Extra-Virgin olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan to enhance the flavors.
2. Wash, spin-dry, and either tear or chop the lettuce in advance, then let it crisp in the refrigerator. I like to thinly slice the Romaine for this salad.

Opt for fresh lemons. Bottled lemon juice lacks the same vibrancy. Choose smooth, thin-skinned lemons as they tend to yield more juice. Any remaining juice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen in an ice cube tray. See my tip about How to Buy and Store Lemons.

Substitutions

• If Romaine hearts are not available, consider using a mix of Iceberg lettuce and Escarole.
• You can substitute Pecorino or Grana Padano for Parmesan.
• Red onion (soaked in cold water for a few minutes and then dried on paper towels) or thinly sliced scallions on the bias are suitable substitutes for shallots, but I cannot speak to any change in flavor profile. As I always say, “Make it for you, make it your own.”
• For a sweeter option, try Aleppo pepper instead of crushed red pepper flakes, which tend to be spicier.

Serving Suggestions

This salad is an excellent accompaniment to pizzas, calzones, and main dishes such as lasagna and soups!

What are the hearts of Romaine?

The heart of Romaine refers to the tender, inner leaves found in the center of the whole Romaine head. It is crisp and mild in flavor, making it ideal for salads, wraps, and even grilling.

How can I tell if the hearts of Romaine are good?

Romaine hearts come in three hearts per bag or container at the store. When selecting, choose firm hearts free of any browning, bruising, or wilting on the outer leaves. The tips of the hearts should be a vibrant green, gradually fading to a lighter shade towards the base.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes. Rinse and dry the romaine lettuce, shred the Parmesan, and prepare the vinaigrette in advance. Keep each part stored separately, and mix them right before serving to ensure the salad remains crisp and fresh.

Crunchy Romaine Salad with Parmesan

By Nicole Prep: 5 minsCook: 0 minsTotal: 5 mins Servings: 4 This EASY Crunchy Parmesan Romaine Chopped Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette is light, crisp, and very refreshing! It is perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish to a meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients 

• 2 hearts of Romaine lettuce, trimmed
• 3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes, optional
• ¾-1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 small shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions 

For the Lettuce

1. Tear/chop or thinly slice the Romaine lettuce and place it in a salad spinner or in a large bowl. Wash, spin dry or pat dry very well.

For the Vinaigrette

1. In a jar or small bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red chili pepper flakes, if using.

To Assemble the Salad

1. Place the lettuce, Parmesan, and shallots in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

This salad tastes best when served right away! If not, the dressed salad will lose its crispness, get soggy, and won’t look very appealing. To prepare ahead of time, gather the ingredients ready in advance. Rinse and dry the romaine, shred the Parmesan, and mix the vinaigrette in advance. Keep each part stored separately, then toss them together just before serving to ensure the salad remains crunchy and fresh.

Nutrition

Calories: 330kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 646mg, Potassium: 863mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 27426IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 275mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.