This Italian Salad Recipe is loaded with fresh veggies, croutons, and a tasty herb dressing. It’s great with Italian dishes or grilled meats.
author’s note
A Homemade Twist on My Childhood Favorite!
Growing up, my mom always made an Italian salad to go with dinner. She’d load it with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, avocado, and whatever other veggies we had in the fridge, then toss it all with Kraft Italian dressing. That dressing made its way into plenty of our dinners too, especially pasta salad and Zesty Italian Pasta. It was simple, but those familiar flavors became part of what home tasted like.
This is my homemade take on that salad. It has all the fresh, colorful ingredients I remember, but with a from-scratch Italian dressing packed with herbs and flavor. It’s nostalgic, just a little upgraded, and still easy enough to make any night of the week.
Ingredients In This Italian Salad Recipe
| Ingredient | Tip |
|---|---|
| Romaine Lettuce | Wash and dry thoroughly. A salad spinner works great! |
| English Cucumbers | Crisp, less seedy, and no peeling needed. |
| Red Onion | Soak in salted water for a milder flavor. |
| Tomatoes | Choose ripe, firm tomatoes or use cherry or grape tomatoes. |
| Black or Kalamata Olives | Remove the pits before adding. |
| Avocado | Slice just before serving to prevent browning. |
| Croutons | Homemade croutons add the best crunch! |
| Dressing Ingredients | Fresh herbs, oregano, garlic, honey, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper create a tangy, flavorful dressing. |
Quick Tip
Try the dressing as you make it. Add a little more sugar, vinegar, or salt if needed.
chelsea’s recipe tip
My Top Italian Salad Recipe Tips
- Make Dressing Early: Prep the dressing a few hours ahead to blend flavors.
- Dress at the Last Minute: Add the dressing just before eating to keep the salad fresh.
- Keep Toppings Separate: Add croutons and cheese right before serving so they stay crunchy.
- Add Protein: For a bigger meal, top with baked chicken, chicken milanese shrimp, steak, or air-fried chickpeas.
Variations
- Try Different Greens: Use spinach, leaf lettuce, or mixed greens instead of romaine.
- Veggies: Toss in bell peppers, carrots, artichokes, or radishes for extra crunch.
- Cheese: Use feta, goat cheese, or shaved pecorino instead of Parmesan.
- Try this Italian Pasta Salad recipe for a great Italian salad with pasta!
- Change the Dressing: Try balsamic vinaigrette, Greek salad dressing, or my favorite lemon dressing to change things up.
Storage
- Make-ahead: Prepare dressing and salad components separately, refrigerate, and combine just before serving.
- Storage: Store dressing and salad ingredients (excluding avocado, cheese, and croutons) separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Add perishables fresh when serving.
More Italian-Style Dishes:
Easy Italian Salad Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 large head Romaine lettuce washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3/4 cup English cucumber halved and quartered
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion or coarsely chopped drained artichokes
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup black olives pitted and halved
- 1 large avocado chopped or thinly sliced
- Croutons store-bought or homemade
- Pepperoncini peppers optional
- Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Combine all the “dressing” ingredients in a food processor or mini blender. Season to taste; I add a heaping 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Blend. Taste and adjust to personal preference. Transfer to a mason jar and place in the fridge until ready to use. Shake before using.
- Add avocado, dressing, cheese, and croutons only to the portion of salad that will be finished immediately. This salad doesn’t hold well with dressing; leftover salad may result in soggy croutons and browning avocado.
- In a large bowl, combine chopped lettuce with veggies. Just before serving, add half the dressing, avocado, and Parmesan cheese, tossing well. Adjust dressing as needed to coat lettuce generously. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with croutons and additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this salad! I’ve been making it, especially for dinner parties for 4 years now and it always gets HUGE compliments! I do see that from the time I printed it in 2022 that you’ve slightly changed the recipe though. I’m sure it is just as good! I came back to the page to send it to my 3 friends who asked me for the recipe, they just LOVE the dressing! I used both the red onions and the artichoke. It’s fabulous, thank you!
I’m so thrilled to hear this Italian salad has been such a hit! Thanks so much for your comment Pam!
im lost in a walmart i found cheese and pickles im fine nvm all good
Loved this salad—- but the dressing didn’t keep well for me. Once refrigerated it turned really thick, almost paste like in the jar. Idk what I did wrong
You didn’t do anything wrong! That’s just the olive oil solidifying, which it does at cold temps. Take the vinaigrette out of the fridge about 20-30 minutes or so before you need it to bring it back up to temperature; then shake it up to remix.
This is my go to salad! I get compliments on it every time I serve it to someone new. The dressing is so easy and amazing. I love this salad!
I love hearing that, thank you so much Dana!
This was so amazing that I am making it today for some friends. Thanks
So glad it was enjoyed! Thank you Nancy 🙂
OMG…this salad was amazing. Can’t wait to have friends over to make a big one. Thank you
So glad to hear it was a hit! Thanks Nancy!