Big Italian Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This Italian salad pairs nicely with Italian comfort food. You’ll love the homemade dressing!
This big Italian salad is my go-to for spaghetti and meatballs, bolognese, pasta e fagioli, baked ziti, zuppa Tosacana, focaccia, or anything else in that Italian comfort food realm. The homemade dressing is what makes it so good. Think of it as a much, much-improved version of that bottled Italian dressing sitting in your fridge door. It takes just a few minutes to make— and if you’re used to the beige bottled stuff, you’ll be surprised to see how fresh herbs make this vinaigrette a beautiful and vibrant green.
“We LOVE this salad!! The dressing is so fresh and herby. It’s our go-to salad for Italian dinners.”
What You’ll Need To Make A Big Italian Salad
- Fresh Italian Parsley: Adds herby depth to the dressing. Italian parsley is also referred to as flat-leaf parsley and it has a more robust flavor than its curly counterpart.
- Fresh Basil: Adds a refreshing aroma and taste to the vinaigrette.
- Dried Oregano: Provides classic Italian seasoning and depth of flavor.
- Garlic: Offers aromatic intensity to the dressing.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Provides tanginess and acidity to the vinaigrette.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Forms a smooth, rich base for the dressing.
- Salt and Pepper: Enhance the overall flavor of the vinaigrette.
- Honey: Balances the acidity of the vinegar with the slightest hint of sweetness.
- Romaine Lettuce: Creates a crisp and refreshing base for the salad. I suggest buying pre-washed romaine hearts if possible so you don’t have to bother rinsing the leaves.
- Red Bell Pepper: Adds vibrant color and a sweet crunch to the salad.
- Hothouse Cucumbers: Contribute freshness and crunchiness to the salad. Also known as English cucumbers.
- Carrots: Provide additional crunch and color to the salad.
- Grape Tomatoes: Offer bursts of juicy sweetness and texture.
- Pitted Olives: Add briny flavor and a salty kick to the salad.
- Ricotta Salata or Feta Cheese: Provides creaminess and a savory element to the salad.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Homemade Italian Dressing
Combine the parsley, basil, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and honey in the bowl of a food processor; blitz to blend.
Step Two: Assemble and Toss the Salad
Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Right before serving, add about half of the dressing and toss well. Add more dressing little by little as necessary; be sure to dress greens very generously, otherwise salad will be bland. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Reserve the leftover dressing for another use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep, it will keep nicely in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just give it a good shake before using it to recombine any separated ingredients.
In the interest of time, I like buying the pre-washed romaine hearts, but if you buy a full head of romaine, discard any damaged or wilted outer leaves from the lettuce head. Trim off the stem’s bottom and discard. Then, separate the lettuce leaves and immerse them in a bowl of water, gently swishing to remove any dirt or debris. (Be sure to dry the leaves completely after rinsing, otherwise, the romaine will turn the dressing watery.) I’m a big fan of a salad spinner for this task, but if you don’t have one, a clean kitchen towel or paper towels both work well.
Plenty! Feel free to improvise with whatever vegetables you have on hand, add some diced salami or prosciutto for extra protein, or swap the cheese with shaved Parmigiano-Regianno or even fresh mozzarella pearls for a different taste and texture.
You May Also Like
Big Italian Salad
This Italian salad pairs nicely with Italian comfort food. You’ll love the homemade dressing!
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar, best quality such as Pompeian Gourmet
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Lucini or Colavita
- Heaping ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons honey
For the Salad
- 1 large head romaine lettuce (or 3 hearts), washed, dried and cut into large, bite-sized pieces
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup seeded and chopped hothouse cucumbers
- 1 to 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
- Handful grape tomatoes, halved
- Handful pitted olives
- Ricotta Salata or Feta, crumbled to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor and blitz to blend.
- Place all of the salad ingredients except for the cheese in a large bowl. Right before serving, add about half of the dressing and toss well. Add more dressing little by little as necessary; be sure to dress greens very generously, otherwise salad will be bland. Toss in the cheese, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Note: Ricotta salata is an Italian sheep's milk cheese that has a salty, slightly tangy flavor, almost like a dry Italian feta. It is not the same as the wet ricotta in the tub. You can find it at Whole Foods, gourmet grocers or specialty cheese shops.
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming ½ cup of ricotta salata and all of the dressing was used.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 338
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 393 mg
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Had to make this with champagne white wine vinegar as I was out of red wine vinegar. Still delicious with the fresh herbs!
LOVED this salad! I took a risk and made it for a dinner party without test trying it first after reading the glowing reviews and I was not disappointed 🙂 everyone commented on how delicious the dressing was, this recipe is divine and easy to make! It’s so hard to find good salad recipes and I’m so impressed with this! 🙂 thank you!
Could I pair this with a slow cooker pork roast?
Sure Catherine. If the pork has Italian flavors/seasonings, that would probably pair best with this salad.
Another fantastic recipe! My husband and I are trying to eat less processed foods and have been able to do so with your delicious recipes. For the dressings made from oil, should the extra dressing be refrigerated- such as the dressing in this salad and the Dijon mustard vinegrette dressing for the roasted beet salad?
Glad you liked it Amy! Yes, I would refrigerate whatever remaining dressing you have.
Perfect salad! I always receive so many compliments on this. I also like to make extra dressing to use it throughout the week. I normally use feta, but have been meaning to try it with the ricotta salata.
Absolutely delicious! My favorite salad dressing. The fresh herbs really make it. I honestly have not tried any recipe from this site that my husband and I haven’t LOVED! My absolute favorite recipe site! I easily make at least one recipe from here a week. Thank you, Jenn for your wonderful recipes.
Finest Italian dressing I’ve ever tried! Thanks!
The salad dressing is so delicious! We use it as a sauce for multiple items!!
I want to make this for a dinner party on Thursday. Can I use balsamic vinegar instead?
Yes Monet, I think you could get away with using balsamic vinegar. Enjoy the dinner party!
Like so many of the reviews, we loved the salad. The dressing is definitely key as you could do a lot of vegetable combinations.
However, the first time I made the dressing in my blender, the consistency was thin, the second time, my blender was broken so I made it in my food processor and the consistency was more creamy. Both were great, your thoughts?
Hi Kimberlee, Interesting that you got a thicker dressing from your food processor– I find that my blender usually results in a thicker dressing or sauce. I guess from here on out, you can just use whichever appliance gives you the texture you like best.