This Simple Italian Salad is full of crispy romaine and tender baby spinach tossed with black olives, mozzarella balls, tomatoes, and sliced pepperoncini. Add in some Genoa salami, homemade croutons, and Italian dressing. You have a delicious main course salad for two or a yummy side salad for four.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this Italian Salad
This antipasto salad is a total comfort food in a bowl. It's a perfect side for a pasta dinner or a meal all on its own. It takes minutes to prepare, and all the ingredients are easily sourced.
Customizable, you can swap out ingredients to fit the diet you are following for this Simple Italian salad. Chickpeas can replace salami, and the croutons can be omitted, or gluten-free can be used.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is a quick snapshot of the ingredients you'll need for this recipe. Scroll to the recipe card, where you will find the exact measurements.
- Lettuce and spinach - I used romaine lettuce, but iceberg can also be used. The baby spinach can be omitted or replaced with Kale if desired.
- Salami - I recommend using Genoa salami, but ham can also be used. If you would like to make this vegetarian, then replace it with chickpeas.
- Croutons - I used homemade sourdough croutons but you can use store-bought regular or gluten-free.
- Italian dressing - use your favorite Italian dressing or vinaigrette for this recipe.
- Olives - I used black olives for this recipe, but green olives could be used as well.
- Mozzarella balls - I used small pearl-sized mozzarella balls for the recipe. You could easily use sliced and tear it into pieces in the salad. In a pinch shredded mozzarella would work but not be quite the same.
- Pepperoncini - you can use whole or sliced.
How to make Simple Italian Salad
Combine in a large bowl the romaine lettuce, baby spinach, olives, red onions, cucumbers, radishes, Genoa salami, and tomatoes.
Toss the salad with two large spoons. Add the croutons and Italian salad dressing. Toss again to coat the salad ingredients with dressing.
Tips for a delicious salad!
- Be sure to use the freshest of ingredients for an amazing salad.
- Add the dressing immediately prior to serving for best results.
- When selecting tomatoes make sure they are red all over and ripe for the best tasting salad.
- Make sure to slice the red onions super thin so they don't overwhelm the other ingredients.
- Be gentle when washing your lettuce so the leaves are not damaged, as this keeps the salad fresh.
FAQ
Traditionally, salad is served after the main course in Italy.
The five basic types of salad are green salads, bound salads held together by mayo or thick dressing, vegetable, fruit, and combination salads. The five basic salads that can be served throughout the course of a meal are a starter, accompaniment, main course, after the main course, and dessert.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious Italian salad with pasta, soup, or any main course dish. This is also delicious and served as a main course itself.
Storage & Reheating
This can be prepared in advance for up to two days. Combine all the ingredients except the cheeses, croutons, and dressing. If using for meal prep then add the croutons and dressing just prior to serving.
More great recipes
Did you try this recipe? Why not leave a star rating and/or review in the comment section below. I always love hearing your feedback. Be sure to come visit me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don't forget to sign up for our email list!
Recipe
Simple Italian Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups Romaine lettuce chopped or sliced
- 1 cup baby spinach
- ½ cup black olives
- ½ cup cucumber sliced
- 3 radishes sliced
- ¼ cup pepperoncini sliced, or whole
- 3 tomatoes sliced into wedges
- ¼ red onion sliced extra thin
- 1 cup mozzarella balls
- ½ cup Genoa salami cut into ½ inch strips
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup croutons
- ½ cup Italian dressing
Instructions
- In a large bowl toss together the romaine lettuce, baby spinach, cucumber, radish, olives, pepperoncini, red onion, tomato, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella balls, and croutons.
- Add the Italian dressing and toss. Serve immediately.
- This can be made ahead two days by mixing together everything except the Parmesan cheese, mozzarella balls, croutons, and dressing. These items can be added prior to serving.
- This salad is best served immediately after adding the dressing.
Leave a Reply