Big Italian Salad
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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.
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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
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- 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.
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Comments
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So fresh and delicious! My family begs for this salad. Thank you for ALL of your amazing recipes. You are the best!
Could you use fresh mozzarella instead ( not close to a Whole Foods)
Sure!
I can’t believe I haven’t made this salad before! I’ve been following your blog for years and have your cookbooks. My end of the year book club meeting is a potluck dinner. This month’s book was Taste by Stanley Tucci. So, it seemed appropriate to have an Italian themed dinner. I signed up to bring the salad. Your Big Italian Salad was perfect. The dressing is divine. I made a few tweaks (used white balsamic vinegar, used a 50:50 mix of olive oil and avocado oil and skipped the honey). I added thinly sliced fennel and radishes as well as grilled artichoke hearts in EVOO (instead of olives). The salad was yummy. Thanks Jen! This recipe is definitely a keeper. I wish I had tried it sooner.
This salad was one of the best I have ever had! The dressing is a flavor burst and was delicious. I made this to serve alongside your pasta bolognese. My family and I loved this dinner. Thank you Jen for your inspiration, your site is my go-to for weekly menu planning.
Just made it, haven’t tried it yet besides the dressing. The dressing is amazing! Just a question, it turned out chunky and a muddy green instead of bright green. Is that from where i used substitutions for my fresh herbs? (We had no available ones)
Yes, If you used dry herbs, it could’ve impacted the color and texture a bit (but glad it still tastes good)!
My go to salad ever since I found ur recipe. The dressing is so delicious & I just appreciate that it’s using fresh herbs.
I have made this salad so many times and it is simply incredible. So easy and the vinaigrette is fantastic enough to drink.
Looks amazing but am having trouble finding fresh basil in the winter. What would the dried basil substitution be?
Hi Laurin, I wouldn’t suggest using dried basil, but you could replace the basil with additional fresh parsley. Hope that helps!
Hi Jen, I’m hosting a heavy appetizers happy hour with an Italian theme. I’m serving this salad, your cocktail meatballs and your focaccia bread. Can you suggest any other appetizers? Thank you
Sure, Barbara, a few other things that come to mind:
Stromboli
Oven-Steamed Mussels
Margherita Pizza
Grilled Shrimp with Pesto (If you don’t want to use the grill, you can broil these)
Hope that helps and that everyone enjoys whatever you prepare!
This dressing is incredible. We make it all the time and freeze large portions. Buy large quantities of basil at Trader Joe’s.