Grilled Romaine & Butternut Squash Salad

This warm Grilled Romaine Salad is great for the last few days of grilling weather, and it’s a totally different way to enjoy a salad! I’ve paired the smoky, soft greens with butternut squash and some slow roasted Kahuku Gold tomatoes for a bright pop of color and flavor. This would also be great with some seasoned chickpeas, white beans, or some marinated or grilled tofu.

This meal, as I made it in the video, has a few components: roasted tomatoes, sautéed squash, and the grilled Romaine. The tomatoes and squash can be prepared separately ahead of time, if needed. You can also swap out whatever veggies that you have on hand that might be good to grill: eggplant, peppers, zucchini, and onions. I separated cooking of the squash and tomatoes this way due to limited space in my kitchen (!), but of course, you can roast them at the same time, but do roast in separate pans. You’ll want to prepare the Romaine last, so that it’s warm when you’re ready to eat!

You’ll also notice that my heads of Romaine are a bit loose–these are locally grown lettuce, and will look different from denser-packed mainland-grown heads of Romaine. Also note, they will wilt considerably, so two big heads of romaine will likely feed 2-4 people!

We served this lovely salad with veggie burgers for a wholesome backyard meal!

See all my other Oahu Fresh recipes here (featuring eggplant, sweet potato, kale, zucchini, tomatoes, Kabocha pumpkin, breadfruit, and more). For the Instagram video archive, check out the Oahu Fresh Instagram TV. 

Grilled Romaine & Butternut Squash Salad

¼ cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups diced butternut squash
1-2 cups chopped, fresh tomatoes
½ cup olive oil, divided
1 lemon
Salt and ground black pepper
2 medium-sized heads of Romaine lettuce, cut vertically (to keep the leaves attached to the core/stem)

1. To prepare the pumpkin seeds: Add seeds to a dry skillet, and toast until just browned
2. To prepare the Butternut: Add chopped squash (skinned or not) to a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast at 375º for 15 minutes, checking for doneness and roasted 5 minutes more to brown. Alternatively, add about a Tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet. Add chopped squash, and cook over medium-low heat until browned on the sides, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle a pinch each of salt and pepper on top, toss to combine, and set aside.
3. To prepare the tomatoes: Add chopped tomatoes (quartered or halved, depending on size) to a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast at 375º for 15 minutes, checking for doneness and roasted 5 minutes more to brown. Broil for five minutes to char slightly, watching carefully so they don’t burn.
4. To prepare the Lemon Vinaigrette: Zest and juice the lemon–this should be about ¼ cup of juice. Add an equal amount of olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
5. To prepare the Romaine: Brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill cut-side down until charred and softened, about 5-8 minutes.
6. To serve: Remove Romaine from the grill and layer onto a platter. Drizzle with tomatoes and squash, toss on pumpkin seeds, and drizzle with dressing just before serving. Serve a whole head of lettuce on individual plates, or use a sharp knife to chop it all up and serve as a tossed salad.