Romaine Heart Salad Recipe

Prepare romaine

Trim the root end from each romaine heart, separate halves lengthwise if desired, and rinse under cold water. Shake off excess water and spin or pat dry thoroughly. Keep the leaves mostly intact for presentation.

Toast hazelnuts

Preheat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the hazelnuts and toast, stirring or shaking the pan frequently, until fragrant and skins blister (4–6 minutes). Transfer to a clean kitchen towel, rub to remove loose skins, then roughly chop once cooled.

Prepare dates and cheese

Pit the Medjool dates (if not already pitted) and cut each into halves or quarters depending on size. Crumble the goat cheese into bite-sized pieces.

Assemble salad

On a large platter or individual plates, arrange the romaine hearts (whole or halved) as a base. Scatter the halved dates evenly over the romaine, then distribute the toasted chopped hazelnuts and crumbled goat cheese. Sprinkle the chopped parsley, then season lightly with 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (adjust to taste).

Whisk dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk while streaming in 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning or acidity — add up to 1 tsp more honey for sweetness or 1/2 tsp more vinegar for brightness.

Dress salad

Just before serving, drizzle the dressing evenly over the assembled romaine, dates, hazelnuts, and cheese (use roughly 3–4 tablespoons for the whole platter; reserve any extra). Use tongs to gently turn the hearts so dressing coats leaves without wilting them. Serve immediately so the hazelnuts stay crisp and dates remain tender.