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This romaine lettuce salad is the easy green salad you’ll make on repeat! This side dish comes together in minutes with creamy Green Goddess dressing, crisp radishes, and crunchy breadcrumbs.
No matter how many salad recipes I make, I’m always on the lookout for easy, go-to recipes that are versatile enough to pair with loads of meals. Enter: my favorite romaine lettuce salad!
I’ve tested a lot of salad recipes over the years, and I think romaine is a little underrated: those pale-green romaine hearts have the perfect crunch! Paired with my herby, creamy Green Goddess Dressing and a sprinkle of crunchy breadcrumbs, the mix of flavors, textures and colors is absolutely fantastic. It’s great as a spring salad or in any season!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 20 minutes: No cooking required, just chop, slice, and dress
- Stunning presentation: It looks fancy but doesn’t require much effort
- That Green Goddess dressing: Truly a game-changer: it’s creamy, herbaceous, and far better than anything store-bought
Ingredients You’ll Need
This romaine lettuce salad is that: a quick 5 minute dressing and a handful of components make salad magic. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Romaine lettuce hearts: I like the inner hearts for their tender crunch and sweet flavor, but mixing in some of the outer leaves adds color. See my Quick Guide to Romaine for more.
- Radishes bring a peppery bite. I like using watermelon radishes when I can find them for color.
- Shallot adds a subtle, savory sweetness.
- Green Goddess Dressing takes this recipe over the top. My version uses Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, which keeps it lighter. Fresh herbs like parsley, chives, tarragon make it taste beautifully herbaceous. See Green Goddess Dressing for more.
- Italian panko is my favorite crouton alternative! Regular panko is already airier and crunchier than traditional breadcrumbs. Italian panko adds herbs and salt.
- Parmesan shavings add a nutty richness that ties everything together.
How to Make This Romaine Salad
Of course, you can make a romaine salad in many different ways! But here’s how to make this one (or jump to the recipe below for quantities):
- Chop the romaine into bite-sized pieces. Pat the lettuce dry or use a salad spinner to dry,
- Slice the radishes and shallot thinly.
- Make the Green Goddess Dressing. Add all ingredients to a food processor or small blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the salad. Arrange the romaine on a large platter or small plates. Scatter the radish and shallot slices over the top, then top with dressing, Parmesan shavings, and a sprinkle of Italian panko.
Pro Tips for the Best Salad
Dry your lettuce thoroughly. Otherwise, the dressing won’t stick to the leaves! I like to use a salad spinner and pat-down with a clean kitchen towel. You can do this in advance and store the chopped lettuce in the salad spinner in the fridge: it keeps well for up to 1 week!
Make the dressing ahead. The Green Goddess Dressing also keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Add the panko at the last minute. Sprinkle it on just before serving to keep the crunch. If you’re prepping ahead, store the panko separately.
Serving Suggestions
This romaine lettuce salad is very versatile. Here are some of my favorite pairings:
- Alongside a bowl of pasta, like lemon ricotta pasta or vegetarian lasagna
- With grilled salmon or baked chicken thighs
- Served with Margherita pizza for an easy Friday night dinner
- As part of a spring recipe spread, like a brunch with egg dishes and light appetizers
- Topped with chickpeas or white beans to make it a main-course salad
Storage Instructions
Make-ahead tips: Chop the romaine, dry it, and store it in a salad spinner in the refrigerator for 1 week. Slice the radishes and shallot and store separately. Make the dressing up to a week in advance.
Dressed leftovers don’t store well: the lettuce will wilt and the panko will become soggy. If you expect leftovers, add dressing only to the portion you plan to eat.
Dietary Notes
This romaine lettuce salad is vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free panko or croutons. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the Parmesan shavings and use Cilantro Sauce as a dressing.
Romaine Lettuce Salad with Green Goddess
This romaine lettuce salad is the easy green salad you’ll make on repeat! This side dish comes together in minutes with creamy Green Goddess dressing, crisp radishes, and crunchy breadcrumbs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Salad
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 romaine hearts (about 8 cups chopped)
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- ½ cup Green Goddess Dressing (or Cilantro Sauce for vegan)
- ¼ cup Italian panko*
- Parmesan shavings, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Chop the romaine hearts. Thinly slice the radishes and shallot.
- Make the Green Goddess Dressing.
- Place the romaine on salad plates or a large platter. Top with the sliced radishes, shallot, and Parmesan cheese shavings. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with Italian panko.
Notes
- Panko: Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb that is airier and lighter than traditional breadcrumbs. “Italian” panko has herbs and salt already added. Look for it (or plain panko) at your local grocery store. Gluten-free versions are also widely available.
- Plain panko substitute: Mix ½ cup plain panko with ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano and ¼ teaspoon each dried basil and thyme).
- Make it vegan: Skip the Parmesan and use Cilantro Lime Sauce in place of Green Goddess Dressing.
- Make it gluten-free: Swap in gluten-free panko or omit.
Let us know if you have any questions!