Ranch salad is having a moment! Grilled salad is having a moment! Put them together and, oh man, this may count as a lifetime moment. Smoky shiitake bacon is a crunchy contrast to the rich, creamy, herby dressing. But the real fun part comes with grilling the romaine, making it a charred and warming salad that will make you want salad for dinner, even in the middle of winter.
Ingredients
Shiitake Bacon
- Olive oil cooking spray, for pan
- 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, tough stems trimmed, sliced a little over ¼ inch thick
- ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
Ranch dressing
- ¾ cup Vegan Mayo or commercially prepared vegan mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon lemon pepper
Romaine and to Serve
- 3 romaine hearts
- Olive oil, for brushing
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Nonstick cooking spray, for pan
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
- ½ cup thinly sliced fresh chives
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to Make It
-
Prepare the Shiitake Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
- Toss the sliced shiitakes in a bowl with the tamari, nutritional yeast, olive oil, and liquid smoke. Use your hands to coat.
- Arrange the mushroom slices on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until very crisp on the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool right on the baking sheet. They’ll cook a little more from the heat of the baking sheet and become even crispier. Prepare the Ranch Dressing
- Just mix all the ingredients together in a little bowl! Grill the Romaine
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Cut each romaine heart in half lengthwise. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Lightly coat the grill or grill pan with nonstick cooking spray. When hot, place the romaine, cut side down, on the grill or in the pan. Depending on the pan, it could take 2 to 3 minutes for grill marks to appear. You will probably have to do this in batches if using a grill pan on your stovetop. To Serve
- For each serving, place a warm romaine heart, grilled side up, on a plate. Drizzle with the dressing. Scatter with the tomatoes and avocado. Finish with the chives and pepper to taste.