Italian Salad
My easy-to-make Italian Salad is packed with fresh greens, crisp vegetables, and juicy tomatoes, all tossed in a simple vinegar and oil dressing. In just 15 minutes, you can have a flavorful salad that might just become your new favorite Italian-inspired recipe to make at home.
Ingredients
- 1 large head Romaine lettuce
- 1 seeded julienne red bell pepper
- ½ quarter sliced cucumber
- 6 quarter sliced roma or san marzano tomatoes
- ¼ peeled and thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup sliced pepperoncinis, no juice
- ¼ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
- ¼ cup pitted black olives
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- ¼ cup finely grated parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ to 1/3 cup olive oil
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the lettuce down to bitesize pieces.
- Prepare the vegetables.
- Add the lettuce to a large bowl with the peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, pepperoncini’s, oregano, parmigiana, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the vinegar and olive oil around the outside edges of the bowl.
- Mix the salad losing a large spoon and fork until combined.
- Serve with additional parmigiana cheese.
Notes
Something important to consider when making this Italian Salad is to pour the vinegar and oil around the edges of the bowl instead of right on top. I started doing this back in my early kitchen days and never looked back. It helps the dressing mix in more evenly and keeps the greens from getting weighed down or soggy.
Use the freshest ingredients you can find: Fresh vegetables make all the difference in a simple salad like this. Look for crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, and firm cucumbers.
Slice everything evenly: I like to cut the vegetables into uniform sizes so every bite has a balanced mix. It also helps the dressing coat everything more evenly.
Season just before serving: If you're making the salad ahead of time, wait to add salt and pepper until right before serving. This keeps the vegetables crisp and fresh.
Add protein for a full meal: If you want to turn it into a main course, grilled chicken, steak, or even a few slices of prosciutto make great additions.
Simple Swaps to Make It Your Own: You can also swap the vinegar for fresh lemon juice if you want a citrusy flavor. And if you're using larger tomatoes, three will do the job instead of six smaller ones.
Make-Ahead: Keep the dressing separate and the salad accompaniments separate, but you can prepare this up to 2 days ahead of time for freshness. Don’t season it until it’s ready to serve.
How To Store: If you can keep the seasoning and vinaigrette separate, cover, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 5gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 379mgPotassium: 642mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3282IUVitamin C: 78mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 1mg