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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Sorry but this was a huge miss for me. This dressing tasted super harsh and I don’t know why. I set up all the ingredients and measured carefully ahead of time before adding it all to my Cuisinart. I’m a devoted fan of your work but I would never ever make this again. So bummed.
Off to try your zesty Italian dressing recipe next!
Sometimes processing good extra virgin olive oil makes it taste bitter…
Hi Jen. Such a delicious salad. I made mine with fried mozzarella balls and artichoke hearts. I served this with lasagna dip. WOW! It was a hit.
Have made this many times, very good!
This is amazing! I made the dressing as written. I used fresh herbs from the garden and it tasted so good. I changed up the salad ingredients just a bit but really, this dressing is yummy on just about any salad combination.
Made this and LOVED IT. I will make this on a regular basis now. Made the dressing ahead. Prepped veggies Ahead. Simple assembly great comments from our guests. Thanks Jenn. It’s a keeper ( and pretty flexible re: veggies too)
I have made this so many times. The fresh herbs in this dressing make it so much better than any other Italian vinaigrette recipe I tried in the past. After finding this recipe, I stopped looking because this one can’t be beat. This and your Caesar dressing are staples in my house.
Haven’t made this yet, but judging by the reviews, I need to! I usually only have myself to cook for recently, so wonder if I can freeze leftover dressing??
Hi Catherine, although I’ve never tried it, some readers have commented that they have successfully frozen the dressing if you want to give it a try. 🙂
Love seeing this again!! I have been making this for years since you first posted!!! Fantastic recips
My husband added this to our “please make again soon” list. We loved it!!! The dressing just brought the salad to life!
Hello Jen, first time making this dressing and absolutely love it! How long can I store leftover dressing in the refrigerator? Thank you!
So glad you like it, Alma! The dressing should keep nicely in the fridge for up to 4 days.