I count down the minutes until it’s warm enough to be considered grilling season. Here in Chicago that usually means I’m waiting until the end of may to finally start grilling (the worst). And then, just like that, it’s here and I’m grilling literally everything in sight. Not even the cat is safe. Which brings us to this salad….
The grilled everything salad recipe you are getting today is one of my favorites and something that I have been making for years. It is the best. It is perfect for entertaining. It makes amazing lunches. It’s perfect warm or cold. It is delicious with any protein you put it with. And it couldn’t be any easier to throw together.
If you don’t have an outdoor grill, get yourself a good grill pan. I didn’t have access to a grill in any of my precious apartments, but that never stopped me from making this salad. I have a breville indoor grill that I would always use to make this salad. I may have set off every smoke detector in the house, but it was worth it to be able to have this salad. I’m sure once you make it, you’ll understand why.
Let’s get started.
Step 1: Chop it like its hot. Slice ya peppers into long strips. Shuck ya corn.
Step 2: Grill power. Fire up your grill to medium/high heat. Spray your grill with a nonstick grill spray. Lay your peppers skin side down. Throw on your corn and green onions. We are looking for some serious grill marks on all the veggies. The corn will take the longest to get the color we are looking for. Grill for 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Grill the peppers until the skin browns, blisters, and softens. This usually takes 5-8 minutes. The green onions will take 3-4 minutes per side.
Step 3: More chopping. Allow your veggies to cool slightly so that you can handle them for chopping. Remove the corn from the cob using a sharp knife and cutting in towards a large mixing bowl. Chop your peppers into small dime size pieces. They should not be much larger than 2 kernels of corn. We are looking to have all the veggies be around the same size. Chop your grilled green onion. Combine all grilled chopped veggies into large mixing bowl.
Step 4: Keep it fresh. The super fresh flavor in this salad comes from the fresh herbs we use. Chiffonade your basil. Chop your dill. Slice your fresh green onions from the green to the bottom of the white. Chop your fresh tomatoes. Add all of this to your mixing bowl.
Step 5: Dressed to kill. Let’s dress your salad. It doesn’t get any more simple than this dressing. Good balsamic and good olive oil. That’s it! Add salt, pepper, and parmesan. Mix thoroughly.
Step 6: Make it yours. This salad is very much open to your interpretations. Sometimes I’ll add cucumber. Sometimes I’ll add grilled rainbow carrots. If I know I’m going to be eating all of it in the same day, I’ll add chopped avocado. It is delicious with pine nuts. GET CREATIVE!
Grill Power {my famous grilled everything salad}
Ingredients
- 4 ears sweet corn
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 orange bell peppers
- 2 yellow bell peppers
- 5 green onions divided (3 will be grilled, 2 will be kept fresh)
- 1 1/2 cups mini heirloom tomatoes or cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
- Handful of fresh dill, chopped
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup good balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Slice peppers into long strips. Shuck corn.
- Fire up your grill to medium/high heat. Spray your grill with a nonstick grill spray. Lay your peppers skin side down. Throw on your corn and green onions. We are looking for some serious grill marks on all the veggies. The corn will take the longest to get the color we are looking for. Grill for 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Grill the peppers until the skin browns, blisters, and softens. This usually takes 5-8 minutes. The green onions will take 3-4 minutes per side.
- Allow your veggies to cool slightly so that you can handle them for chopping. Remove the corn from the cob using a sharp knife and cutting in towards a large mixing bowl. Chop your peppers into small dime size pieces. They should not be much larger than 2 kernels of corn. We are looking to have all the veggies be around the same size. Chop your grilled green onion. Combine all grilled chopped veggies into large mixing bowl.
- Chiffonade your basil. Chop your dill. Slice your fresh green onions from the green to the bottom of the white. Chop your fresh tomatoes. Add all of this to your mixing bowl.
- Dress salad with olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
- Mix thoroughly.
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