Broiled Lettuce Is the Brilliant TikTok Upgrade Your Salad Needs
The best kinds of salads are the ones that bring together all different kinds of flavors, textures, and ingredients. Whether you prefer a bowl of towering, freshly washed leaves like romaine or convenient wedges of iceberg, little flourishes can make all the difference between an ho-hum and a dynamite salad. Aside from throwing in your favorite crunchy vegetable, a handful of nuts or seeds, or a sprinkling of tangy cheese, there’s one thing you should do prior to all of this: Broil your lettuce!
Why You Should Broil Your Lettuce
Broiling sturdy lettuces like romaine, iceberg, and radicchio gives your leaves beautiful char marks; adds a rich, subtle smoky flavor to your salad; and adds an additional textural element to your bowl. It’s also a winter-friendly alternative to grilling salad.
This idea came to us via a TikTok video from Kathleen Ashmore, aka katcancook. Ashmore’s salad is simple but delicious: charred romaine lettuce topped with walnuts and lemon-Parmesan dressing. Ashmore explains she first got the inspiration for the idea when she had a similar dish at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn, New York.
The best part about the idea is that you can try it out on any hardy lettuce, including iceberg, radicchio, and romaine. Mix up the add-ins and dressings and you’ve got yourself a next-level salad.