Last Updated on October 13, 2023 by Carne Diem
Method: Grill
Jump to RecipeThe perfect salad recipe for your next cookout, this BBQ salad recipe consists of perfectly grilled endive, topped with a fresh and tangy poppy seed dressing. It is the perfect summer salad to serve with grilled meats or slow smoked barbeque. The grilled endive holds up perfectly to the high heat of the grill.
Table of contents
Why grill lettuce?
There are number of reasons that grilled salads are great and why you should absolutely try cooking lettuce on your grill. First and foremost, grilled lettuce tastes great. Charred romaine salad, and this grilled endive salad, are some of my favorite ways to prepare a salad. Cooking lettuce on a grill adds a subtly smoky flavor to your salad and the caramelized browned edges release some of the sweetness from the lettuce. When done correctly, we also love the contrast in textures that a grilled salad has. Firm lettuce like endive or Romaine, allow for a softened caramelized outside, with a cool crisp inside. My wife loves the added benefit, of getting me to actually eat a salad.
Making the Grilled Endive Salad with poppy seed dressing
This charred lettuce salad is super easy to make. You just need to whip up a quick poppy seed dressing and halve and grill the Belgian endive. Of course, you can use a store-bought dressing or even change the dressing entirely, but once your try this homemade poppy seed dressing, I think you will agree that is worth the little bit of extra effort.
Making the best homemade poppy seed dressing
To make this simple poppy seed dressing you just need olive oil, ground mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, lemons, salt, and poppy seeds.
First juice the lemon. You will need about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for the dressing recipe. For an extra fresh tasting poppy seed dressing you can also include a little lemon zest. In a salad dressing carafe, combine the lemon juice with rest of the ingredients and mix well to combine. Taste the dressing and adjust with additional lemon juice, salt, honey, or vinegar depending on your preferences.
Prep the Belgian Endive
Rinse the endive and then cut in half lengthwise.
Brush the endive lettuce with a little of the poppy seed dressing and sprinkle each piece with a little coarse salt.
Cooking Belgian Endive on your grill
Prep your grill by setting up for direct heat and preheating to at least 500 degrees. In this recipe we used our pellet grill, but we have made some great grilled lettuce on our Big Green Egg, and charcoal grill as well. This is a short and quick cook, in order to get a nice char on the outside of the grilled endive while still keeping the inside of the lettuce cool and crisp.
Cook the Belgian endive on the grill, flat side down. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the edges are slightly charred then remove to a plate.
Finishing the grilled salad
Place 2-3 of the grilled endive halves on a plate. Drizzle with additional homemade poppy seed dressing and top with shaved parmesan.
Feel free to add any additional salad toppings as desired, like pepitas, banana peppers, sunflower seeds, or dried fruits. Dig in and enjoy your BBQ salad.
Be sure to check out more of the best salad recipes to make at your summer BBQ or cookout:
- Grilled Panzanella Salad
- Grilled Corn and Goat Cheese Salad
- Fried Boursin Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Smoked Arugula Salad With Bourbon Vinaigrette
- Spanish Inspired Pasta Salad
- Christmas Salad With Chestnuts and Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, grilled lettuce tastes great. Cooking lettuce on a grill adds a subtly smoky flavor to your salad and the caramelized browned edges release some of the sweetness from the lettuce. When done correctly, we also love the contrast in textures that a grilled salad has.
Firm lettuce like endive or Romaine are great for the grill. There firm heads allow for a softened caramelized outside, with a cool crisp inside and hold up well on the grill.
You want to use a cooking oil with a high smoke point like avocado or grapeseed oil. Typically you want to avoid oils like olive oil that have a low smoke point and will burn from the high heat of the grill.
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📖 Recipe
Grilled Endive Salad with Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 Belgian Endive
- 1 Tablespoon Coarse Salt
- 1 Cup Shaved Parmesan
Poppy Seed Dressing
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1.5 teaspoons Poppy Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ground Mustard
- ½ teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Combine the salad dressing ingredients and mix well to combine.
- Rinse and then halve the Belgian endive lengthwise.
- Preheat your grill to at least 500 degrees and set up for direct cooking.
- Brush the endive with a little of the poppy seed dressing and sprinkle the lettuce with a little coarse salt.
- Grill the endive, flat side down, for about 3-5 minutes, or until the edges of the lettuce are nicely charred.
- Remove the Belgian endive to plates and top with the poppy seed dressing shaved parmesan and any other desired salad toppings. Enjoy.
Nutrition
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