Amp Up Your Salad By Grilling Those Greens

Let's face it: Salad can be sad. Everyone's likely had a bowl of wet, limp spring mix. It may be nutritious, but without some zhuzhing up, it can get a little monotonous. Thankfully, there's a simple way to cheer up a depressing salad — grill those greens! Throwing your salad vegetables on the grill does two key things. One, it makes the vegetables taste great. Grilling brings out veggies' natural sugars and imparts a smoky flavor. Two, it adds textural variety. Crispy and soft charred kale is more fun to eat than grassy, chewy, raw kale.

While all you really need to get started is a grill, if you don't have access to one, an oven with a broiler setting will also get the job done. You won't get the same level of char, but your greens will still taste great. However you achieve it, transforming these leafy vegetables with a burst of high heat makes a foundational impact despite not requiring much effort.

Kale isn't the only type of salad green that performs well on the grill. London chef James Cochran grills a mean hispi cabbage, for example. "Go quite dark on the char. The layers create texture, with some parts extra-crispy, others meltingly tender," he told The Guardian. You can apply that advice to other sturdy leafy greens like bok choy, collard greens, endive, Swiss chard, and radicchio, for starters. 

Romaine, butter, and even iceberg lettuce taste great grilled too. Skeptical? Don't knock it until you try some grilled romaine hearts with Caesar vinaigrette. The outer leaves caramelize while the inner leaves stay crisp.

Some greens are too small to simply throw on the grill. If you try, you're more likely to feed your fire than grill your greens. When you want to amp up your shaved Brussels sprouts with smoke and char, put them in a grill basket or cast iron skillet first. That way, they won't fall through the grates. You can try this technique with more delicate leafy vegetables like spinach, arugula, and microgreens, too, but a word of warning: They will wilt, which is not usually what you want out of your salad greens.

The key to a stand-out salad is variety. You don't want the only texture and flavor on your plate to be "lettuce." By grilling your vegetables, you've already added caramelization, char, and smoke to your salad. That's a delicious start. What other elements can you add to make your salad exceptional? 

You can always grill more vegetables. Zucchini, eggplant, corn, and bell peppers are barbecue classics for a reasons, but don't be afraid to try something different. Fruit in salad is delicious; grilled fruit in salad is divine. Pineapple is a great place to start. The rings are big enough not to fall through the grill grates and its sweet tanginess pairs well with savory flavors.

Consider adding other interesting textures, like croutons, nuts, grains, herbs — or some combination of those four. And don't forget your dressing! What goes well with smokey and sweet? Salty, acidic, and — if you're up for it –- spicy. Play with a dressing that incorporates these elements. A spicy vinaigrette is a good place to start.