This Tossed Salad with Italian Herb Dressing is insanely easy, and highly versatile. You can use any veggies that suit your fancy, as long as you have the dried herbs, olive oil from the marinated ingredients, vinegar, salt and pepper, to help season.
Don’t like tomatoes? Skip them. Oh, you’re vegetarian? No worries! Omit the the mozzarella. And if you’re vegan? Then that’s cool too! Just swap out the mozzarella and salami for vegan alternatives, or skip altogether.
The world is your oyster, and you can make your salad YOUR way! So kick back and relax, knowing you can make this seriously simple salad to your heart’s content!
On that note, scroll onwards for the recipe!
In a mixing bowl add the halved tomatoes and diced cucumbers, then season with salt and pepper. Toss, then allow to sit and marinate for at least 15 minutes (to help draw out the liquids, which will then be used as part of the dressing).
Afterwards, add remaining ingredients. Gently toss until combined. Taste test and adjust to preference.
Transfer to a serving platter, then share and enjoy!
Tossed Salad with Italian Herb Dressing:
PREP TIME: 15 MIN
SERVES: 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sweet bell peppers, chopped
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plus oil, julienned
- 14 oz (about 1 3/4 cups) cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 8 oz (about 1 cup) marinated mini mozzarella balls, plus oil
- 2 Tbs Italian Herb Blend
- 4 oz (about 1/2 cup) Castelvetrano olives
- 12 oz (about 1 1/2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 8 oz Italian salami, sliced
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar, or vinegar of choice (more or less depending on how acidic the vinegar is)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
Directions for Tossed Salad with Italian Herb Dressing:
- In a mixing bowl add the halved tomatoes and diced cucumbers, then season with salt and pepper. Toss, then allow to sit and marinate for at least 15 minutes (to help draw out the liquids, which will then be used as part of the dressing).
- Afterwards, add remaining ingredients. Gently toss until combined. Taste test and adjust to preference, then transfer to a serving platter. Share and enjoy!
Notes:
- A great alternative to salami is Hellenic Farms Fig Salami. It’s a plant-based option that focuses on seasoning dried figs and rolled into a log.
- Another vegan meat alternative is Be-Hive Pepperoni Slices.
- In these images I used Acid League Garden Heat Vinegar since I ran out of balsamic vinegar. It’s not as tangy, so for reference, I ended up using more than 1/4 cup. Again, taste test and adjust to taste, since seasonality, freshness of ingredients, and types of vinegar can alter the outcome.
- For more delicious recipes to create or pair alongside, visit the Kitchen Journal.
