Everyday Italian Salad
A crispy, tangy Italian salad inspired by Olive Garden. Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, pepperoncini, and homemade Italian dressing. Ready in 15 minutes. Vegan-friendly with easy customizations.
4 servings
Calories: 642kcal
Ingredients
- 5 cups Romaine lettuce or mixed leafy greens
- 1/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup vegan salami
- ½ cup black olives
- ¼ cup pepperoncini
- ¼ cup Italian Vinaigrette or Dressing
Instructions
- Wash and chop romaine into bite-sized pieces. Dry well.
- Halve tomatoes. Slice red onion thinly. Drain olives and pepperoncini.
- Place romaine in bowl. Arrange toppings on top. Add extras if desired.
- Drizzle dressing gradually and toss gently. Add a little at a time.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Dry the lettuce well after washing, this is the most important step.
- Dress gradually, there should never be dressing pooling at the bottom.
- Add croutons right before serving so they stay crunchy.
- Soak red onion in cold water 10 minutes to mellow the bite.
- Chill the serving bowl for 15 minutes for extra-crisp results.
- Prep ingredients up to 8 hours ahead, but add dressing and croutons right before serving.
- Dressed salad keeps about 1 day.
- Dressing stores separately up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 642kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 2689mg | Potassium: 1002mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 21278IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 361mg | Iron: 4mg