Grilling season and bolted lettuce season both happen during summer, which is a convenient reason to combine the two to make grilled lettuce with parmesan. You’ll definitely get a few raised eyebrows when you announce you’ll be grilling lettuce for your vegetarian friends, but just one bite proves how delicious grilled lettuce can be.

Why grill lettuce?

Summer lettuce doesn’t like the heat, and will turn bitter or bolt (go to seed) during this time. One way to salvage bolted lettuce is to grill it! You might think that adding delicate lettuce to the grill would cause it to burst into flames, but instead it becomes soft and caramelized. It can be treated like regular grilled veggies and spiffed up with herbs, cheese, lemon, sauces, you name it.

One variety of lettuce that doesn’t mind the summer heat as much as the others is romaine. Romaine lettuce is also a great candidate for grilled lettuce. The best varieties for grilling with have a hearty stem that can be chopped in half while holding all the leaves in place while grilling.

Excited about lettuce now? Read about my favorite varieties of lettuce to grow in the garden.

Grilled lettuce supplies:

Bolted lettuce or romaine lettuce: For the best results with this recipe, use a sturdy lettuce like romaine or any bolted lettuce from the garden. You’re looking for a variety that has a strong stem to hold all the leaves in place when you cut it in half to grill.
Grill: I have a gas grill so that’s what I use in this recipe. It’s easy to control the temp and flame size. You could also use a charcoal grill.
No grill? Stovetop works too: Use a grill pan on the stovetop to get those nice seared marks.
Toppings: My recipe is super simple and quick, but you can really go wild here! Treat grilled lettuce like any grilled veggie: Top with balsamic glaze, fresh herbs, salsa verde, etc.

Questions about grilled lettuce

Is it normal to eat grilled lettuce?

Excuse me but I just had it for lunch, so, yes! Grilled greens are super delicious and a blank slate for all kinds of creative toppings.

I don’t have a grill, can I still make grilled lettuce on the stove?

Totally! Try using a grill pan to get those nice seared marks on the lettuce. I’ve made it this way many times when I was too lazy to turn on the grill outside.

Can I make grilled lettuce vegan?

Absolutely! Just leave off the cheese and add other toppings. I’d use fresh herbs, a salsa verde, balsamic glaze or anything else you enjoy on roasted veggies. Don’t skip the lemon juice though! It adds the acidity to brighten the dish.