Italian Chopped Salad (Inspired by Olive Garden!)
My Italian chopped salad is a simplified version inspired by the beloved salad served at Olive Garden! It's got both romaine and iceberg lettuce, pepperoncini peppers, diced red onion, fresh parmesan cheese, homemade dressing, and homemade croutons! My husband and I aren't huge salad people but this one we crave all the time. It's that good! I hope you love it as much as we do!
Ingredients
For the Croutons
- 3 slices of bread (sourdough is my favorite but any will work)
- 2 Tbsp melted butter (I like to use salted grass-fed butter)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (salt-free)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
For the Dressing
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise (wholesome ingredient brand like Chosen Foods or homemade)
- 3 Tbsp distilled white vinegar (organic is best)
- 1 tsp onion powder (salt-free)
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder (salt-free)
For the Salad
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup jarred peperoncini peppers, drained (brand without food coloring like Jeff’s Garden)
- 1/2 of an iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 of a romaine lettuce
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Make the Croutons
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice bread, with crusts still attached, into small 1/2 inch cubes (approximately 2.5 cups of cubed bread). Place in a mixing bowl.
- Drizzle melted butter all over cubed bread. Add garlic powder and sea salt to bowl.
- Mix to evenly coat all bread cubes then spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir then place back in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, use parchment paper to transfer from pan to cooling rack. Set aside
Make the Dressing
- While baking croutons, make the dressing by adding avocado oil, mayo, vinegar, onion powder, sea salt, and garlic powder to a small mixing bowl.
- Whisk to evenly combine and set aside.
Make the Salad
- Dice red onion finely then measure out 1/2 cup and add to a large salad bowl or mixing bowl. Store others away in the fridge for another use.
- If peperoncini peppers are whole, roughly chop into slices. Add to bowl. (Remove seeds if you find them spicy. I leave ours in.)
- Rinse and dry iceberg and romaine lettuce leaves. Then use your hands to shred them or roughly chop with a knife into smaller pieces. Add both to bowl.
- Grate fresh Parmesan into bowl then stir to evenly distribute all ingredients.
- Right before serving, add in cooled croutons and dressing. Toss to evenly coat and serve immediately. Enjoy! (If you don't plan on eating the entire salad at once, I recommend storing everything separately and making individual salads rather than one big one to prevent sogginess.)
Video
Notes
Please see blog post for storage information and all kinds of helpful tips plus serving ideas.
Did you make this recipe? – Please leave a comment below or share a photo on social media! If you share a photo be sure to tag me @plumbranchhome
A Note From Me – This recipe was developed from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine, in my kitchen and tested many times to ensure success. My recipes here on Plum Branch Home are created with purpose and cherished in our own home. They’re developed with my own experiences, trial and error, and skills, NEVER AI (artificial intelligence).
Here at Plum Branch Home we’re serving God by loving our families and bringing them around the supper table one recipe at a time!
This recipe is inspired by the salad served at Olive Garden . My recipe is not affiliated with or endorsed by the restaurant.