Italian Salad is loaded with fresh veggies, croutons, and a tasty herb dressing. It’s great with Italian dishes or grilled meats. Use Italian Dressing if you’re out of fresh herbs.
Try this Italian Pasta Salad recipe for a great Italian salad with pasta!
Favorite Italian Salad
My mom loves Kraft’s Italian dressing—she’s a big fan! Growing up, her favorite snack was a cottage cheese bowl and lots of that dressing.
She also used it in many dinners, like pasta salad or Zesty Italian Pasta. If it wasn’t in the dish, it was on the table with a big salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, onions, and avocado. Sometimes, she’d add artichokes or chopped peppers too.
I still like store-bought Italian dressing, but homemade is much better.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make Your Own: You can add different veggies and proteins depending on what you love (or have on hand).
- Delicious Dressing: It has a fresh, herby dressing that I’m seriously obsessed with.
- Easy to Prepare: It’s quick to put together, and you can even prep some of it ahead of time.
- Goes with Everything: It’s the perfect side dish to go alongside just about any meal.
Ingredients In Italian Salad
- Romaine Lettuce: Crisp and fresh. Dry thoroughly after washing; use a salad spinner if needed.
- English Cucumbers: They’re crunchy and less seedy, plus no need to peel.
- Red Onion: Soak in water with a pinch of salt for a milder taste.
- Tomatoes: Ripe and firm, or use cherry/grape tomatoes.
- Black or Kalamata Olives: Pit them before adding.
- Avocado: Ripe for creaminess; slice just before serving to prevent browning.
- Croutons: Homemade croutons are a great touch!
- Dressing Ingredients: Mix fresh herbs with dried oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, a bit of honey, red wine vinegar for tang, and olive oil for flavor.
Quick Tip
Try the dressing as you make it. Add a little more sugar, vinegar, or salt if needed.
How To Make Italian Salad (Tips)
- Make Dressing Early: Prep the dressing a few hours ahead to blend the 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 grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, or air-fried chickpeas.
- Chill Your Bowls: Cool your salad bowls in the fridge to keep the salad cold and crisp.
Variations
- Try Different Greens: Use spinach, leaf lettuce, or mixed greens instead of romaine.
- Add New Veggies: Toss in bell peppers, carrots, artichokes, or radishes for extra crunch.
- Experiment with Cheese: Use feta, goat cheese, or shaved pecorino instead of Parmesan.
- Add Nuts or Seeds: Sprinkle toasted nuts or seeds on top. Favorites include sunflower seeds, pepitas, roasted pistachios, and sliced almonds.
- 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
- One-Pan Italian Sausage and Veggies
- Caprese Salad
- Italian Chickpea Salad
- Panzanella Salad
- Chicken Salad with Apples
Easy Italian Salad
Delicious and flavorful Italian Salad with a perfect herb dressing and plenty of veggies is easy to customize.
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, loosely packed
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 up to 3 teaspoons honey (add to taste preference)
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- Salt & pepper
For the Salad
- 1 large head Romaine lettuce washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3/4 cup English cucumbers, halved and quartered
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion OR coarsely chopped drained artichokes
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup pitted black olives halved
- 1 large avocado, chopped or thinly sliced
- Croutons store-bought or homemade
- Optional: pepperoncini, parmesan cheese
Instructions
- DRESSING: Combine all the "dressing" ingredients in a food processor or mini blender. Season; 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.
- ASSEMBLE: In a large bowl, combine chopped lettuce with veggies. Just before serving, add half of 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.
- SERVING: 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 762IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks It’s super!
Glad to hear it! 🙂
The dressing was out of this world! I topped my salad with some chicken breast and it hit the spot
Yay! So thrilled to hear this was a hit 🙂
LOVE this dressing!! It makes the salad next level! Even my “ranch dressing only” daughter liked the dressing!! Thanks.
LOVE hearing that! Thanks so much Diane 🙂
I’ve eaten three batches of this salad using my original dressing. I swear I could eat it every day! Making for a party next week too. Best dressing ever!
Ahh I am sooo happy too hear this and soo glad you enjoyed! Thanks so much! 🙂
The perfect summertime salad.
It really is! Thanks! 🙂
The perfect side dish!
It is!! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
This is THE BEST salad! We loved it!
I am sooo happy to hear this! Thanks! 🙂
I LOVED the Italian flavors in this salad! We all enjoyed it.
So happy to hear it! Thanks Katie 🙂
I know what I will be making for dinner tonight-wow! What a gorgeous looking salad; yum!
Thanks Sara!
Your dressing is amazing. Love it!
Thank you so much Karen! 🙂