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    Home » Salads » Italian Salad Recipe: With Chopped Greens

    Italian Salad Recipe: With Chopped Greens

    December 31, 2016 , Updated August 22, 2022 Maria 16 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Best Italian Chopped Salad Greens in a bowl and close up.

    This Italian Salad Recipe doesn’t just have a great texture – it also provides wonderful flavor combinations of tangy and mildly bitter, with a hint of salt and sweetness that will leave you wanting more.

    A large bowl of a colorful Italian Salad.

    I recently had a conversation with a colleague about when salads should be served: before or after the main course?

    A seafood salad is undoubtedly the best appetizer salad and an Italian Potato Salad is a great side salad dish.

    My Italian upbringing dictated that green salad recipes are served at the end of a (big) meal… before the onslaught of cheese, fruit and desserts.

    What about you?

    Do you have a preference?

    When do you serve this Italian salad?

    During the same conversation, my colleague and I discussed easy vs. complicated recipes.

    I don’t know about you, but I like to have a balance between the two when hosting, especially during the holidays.

    The presence of easy recipes gives me a sense of security and creates an illusion that I have everything under control 😉 And nothing can be easier than a salad like this one.

    Different varieties of salads in a bowl make this Italian Salad Recipe look very appetizing.

    I can also assure you that it does not get any tastier than this tossed Italian salad. It’s so good that you always manage to have a few extra bites of it even after a large meal. 

    As in most salad recipes, you must combine the actual salad and the dressing. 

    I like to combine the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar, shake it vigorously, refrigerate it, and forget about it until I am ready to dress my salad. I will usually prepare the salad dressing the day before the big event.

    A small head of endive salad ready to be chopped up.

    As far as the actual salad recipe is concerned, I like to use a mixture of greens such as romaine, radicchio and endive.

    I think everyone is familiar with romaine lettuce.

    But what about these white-veined purplish leaves?

    Radicchio belongs to the chicory family and has a distinctive, slightly bitter taste. According to Wikipedia, the vegetable can be traced back to the fifteenth century in Italy’s Veneto region. Radicchio is extremely pleasing to look at, and it’s a slightly healthier green than, say, iceberg lettuce!

    Chopped up endive salad in a bowl.

    As far as the endive is concerned, it also belongs to the chicory family. It is equally crispy, providing a slightly bitter taste, but is much nuttier than the radicchio. These veggies will provide you with a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals, and even a little fiber.

    Wedge of the ricotta salata used to make the best Italian salad.

    You are probably familiar with the rest of the salad ingredients. I want to bring your attention to just two others. The first is the Roasted Garlic Cloves. It is an easy recipe to make and a game-changer as far as taste is concerned.

    The second is the ricotta salata. As you probably know, ricotta is a sheep milk cheese. Unlike its fresh, moist and wet counterpart, homemade ricotta Cheese, Ricotta Salata is an aged, pressed cheese whose final product has a crumbly yet firm texture, with a salty, almost tangy flavor.

    It is great to use in salads as it perfectly complements the greens’ bitterness. You should be able to find this cheese in your specialty cheese shop.

    I will usually toss all the salad ingredients together. Then, when the time is right, pour the dressing over the top, toss and plate.  Serve with a piece of nice crusty bread. Whole wheat, of course!

    A close up shot of the Best Italian Chopped Salad Greens.

    Recipe inspiration

    Along with this Refreshing Italian Fennel Citrus Salad, this was one of my Mom’s signature salads. Both of these salads are so ridiculously easy to put together. As a bonus, they are definite crowd-pleasers.

    This Italian green salad will give you and your guests a colorful and tasty way to end any meal. I hope you enjoy this recipe.

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    Ciao for now,

    Maria

    ★★★★★ If you have made this Italian chopped salad recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

     

    A close up of Italian greens in a big bowl.

    Best Italian Chopped Salad Greens Recipe

    Italian Salad Recipe

    This Italian Salad Recipe has great texture & provides wonderful flavor combinations in just one bite.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 284kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    The Dressing:

    • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 1-2 oven roasted garlic cloves minced and smashed into a paste
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
    • generous pinch of pepper or to taste
    • 1 teaspoon honey

    The Salad:

    • 1 large head romaine lettuce washed, dried and chopped
    • 1 head radicchio washed, dried and chopped
    • 1 head endive washed, dried and chopped
    • ¼ cup parsley fresh, finely chopped
    • 4-5 fresh basil leaves fresh, torn up
    • 1 small cucumber chopped
    • 1 celery rib chopped (I also chop about 1 tablespoon of the celery leaves)
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes chopped in half (about 1 large handful)
    • ½ cup pitted green olives
    • ½ cup crumbled Ricotta Salata in a pinch, can substitute with feta cheese

    Instructions

    The Dressing:

    • Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar.
    • Cover and shake vigorously.
    • Refrigerate until ready to be used (I will usually make the dressing the day before I need it).

    The Salad:

    • In a large mixing bowl, add all the salad ingredients.
    • Toss to combine.
    • Shake the dressing one final time before pouring over your salad.
    • Toss well.
    • Transfer to your serving platter.
    • Serve immediately.
    Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

    Notes

    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 621mg | Potassium: 632mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3870IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 2.1mg
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    Filed Under: Salads, Vegetarian

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marianne

      June 26, 2022 at 9:39 am

      Very similar to our family salad, always served at the end of our meal. My friends still don’t understand. After Sunday dinner eating it on the same plate mixing with the bit of leftover sauce from the pasta.

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 26, 2022 at 9:34 pm

        Yes! I can totally relate to this comment Marianne ♥ Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Elaine

      December 19, 2021 at 6:28 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been making this salad for the last year or so and it has become a favorite. Thank you so much for a delicious salad and salad dressing!

      Reply
      • Maria

        December 21, 2021 at 6:34 pm

        My pleasure Elaine! Thanks for taking the time to share!

        Reply
    3. Autumn

      August 29, 2021 at 9:18 am

      GM Maria!

      It’s only 7 am here in Colorado but looking through this recipe first thing as I have my coffee, you have got me drooling for some! I most definitely will pick up the fresh greens for later today and try it!

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 29, 2021 at 8:43 pm

        lol… thanks so much Autumn. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Nella

      October 20, 2020 at 5:21 pm

      5 stars
      Had lots of radicchio and I’m so glad I found this recipe.
      It was simply perfect! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 20, 2020 at 9:03 pm

        Fantastic Nella! Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to comment, appreciate it!

        Reply
    5. Amy

      July 13, 2017 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for posting this. My fiance declared that this was the best salad he ever had in his life!

      Reply
      • Maria

        July 13, 2017 at 5:45 pm

        Fantastic Amy! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, truly appreciate it ♥

        Reply
    6. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices

      January 08, 2017 at 6:16 pm

      This is my kind of salad! Lovely, delicious and so nutritious! Loved seeing the use of radicchio, together with romaine and endive, and also ricotta salata. No cucumbers, for me, though, but that’s my personal taste 🙂 . I’ve always known that the salad has to be enjoyed at the end of the meal or as a side to the “secondo”. I’ve never seen anyone in Italy starting with a salad, unless it is in antipasto form (like insalata di mare with seafood). Pinned it, so beautiful!

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 08, 2017 at 8:59 pm

        Thank-you Nicoletta! We are so lucky to have so much wonderful produce in the dead of winter… Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂

        Reply
    7. Barbarito-Levitt Paula

      January 06, 2017 at 5:55 pm

      Always after the meal…no question. That being said this salad is a meal in and of itself and your instructions for preparing it as part of a large meal are spot on.

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 08, 2017 at 8:56 pm

        Thanks so much Paula. I just love salads. In my mind I am already planning my summer garden… can’t wait! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment 🙂

        Reply
    8. Sonia and mom

      December 31, 2016 at 7:26 pm

      My dear Mary and family thinking about you and wishing you all health ❤️ ✌???? thanks for the greatest recipes and your wonderful precious memories of your loving family god bless

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 02, 2017 at 9:08 am

        Thank you so much Sonia and mom ♥♥♥

        Reply

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