Description
A vibrant, hearty Italian salad featuring fresh veggies, crisp croutons, and a zesty homemade Italian dressing. Topped with freshly grated Parmesan for extra flavor.
Ingredients
- Croutons:
- 3 slices white sandwich bread (~1.75 cm / ¾” thick, crust off, cut into cubes)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pinches salt
- Italian Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 4 tsp freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp chili flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp cooking/kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- Salad:
- 1 head cos / romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges and halved
- ½ green capsicum/bell pepper, cut into 1.5cm (2/3″) cubes
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- 1 cup whole pitted Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup (tightly packed) finely grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Croutons: Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan). Toss bread cubes with olive oil and salt. Spread on a tray and bake for 15 minutes, stirring twice, until golden and crisp. Let cool on the tray.
- Dressing: Shake all dressing ingredients together in a jar until well combined.
- Make Salad: Set aside some Parmesan for garnish. In a large bowl, combine croutons and all remaining salad ingredients. Pour the dressing over and toss well.
- Serve: Transfer salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with reserved Parmesan. Serve immediately!
Notes
- For an extra kick, add a few more chili flakes to the dressing.
- Make the croutons ahead of time and store them in an airtight container to keep them crisp.
- Serve with grilled chicken or shrimp to turn it into a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Salad
- Method: Baked, Tossed
- Cuisine: American-Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 4mg
