Our pizza salad is a refreshing, yet hearty combo, of everything delicious about your favorite slice of pizza and the best Italian-style salad.
I grew up hating salad! When I began to cook, I knew I had to fix this issue. In my opinion, a delicious salad starts with really fresh crisp veggies, then lots, and I mean lots, of goodies need to be added. Finally, to really knock a salad recipe out of the ballpark, or pizza joint, it needs to be topped with simple, homemade dressing.
If you love great salads that are loaded with goodies as much as we do, I hope you’ll try our strawberry spinach salad, Mediterranean salad, 1905 salad, and nostalgic favorite 7 layer salad next!
What Is Pizza Salad
A delicious, eat-like- a meal, entree salad that combines all your favorite pizza flavors and freshness of an easy-to-make salad. This just may be the easiest way ever to eat your veggies. Even the kids will love this salad!
Pizza Salad Ingredients
Salad:
- Oil: Use a good quality olive oil.
- Pepperoni: I think this salad tastes best with regular pepperoni. If you want to cut calories, of course, you can use turkey pepperoni. If you make that switch, use 3 tablespoons of oil to crisp it up.
- Romaine: You can use any lettuce you like best, or even a combo. Sometimes I like to use a mix of romaine and arugula.
- Pepperoncini: Save yourself some time and buy these already sliced. You may want to add more than the called 3 tablespoons per your preference.
- Tomatoes: I like the sweetness and great tomato flavor that grape tomatoes add. Feel free to use Roma tomatoes if you prefer or just have them on hand.
- Onion: Red onions are my favorites in this salad, but Vidalia is also really nice.
- Olives: Remember to rinse these before adding them. You already are going to have a strong brine-y flavor in the pepperoncini brine in the salad dressing and you don’t want it to be overpowering.
- Mozzarella: I like the texture of this best when you used the large holes on the box grater. I also like it cut into small cubes. You choose.
- Garbanzo Beans: I love the added texture and nutrients that beans add to the salad. Feel free to switch these up with Italian white beans.
- Parmesan: I think grated is the best texture of Parm to add, but shredded or shaved will also work.
- Basil: This really gives the salad a great pop of freshness and quintessential Italian flavor. Don’t skip it!
Dressing:
- Oil: Use a good quality olive oil.
- Pepperoncini Brine: Straight from the jar.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic, not the stuff that comes pre-minced in a jar.
- Italian Seasoning: I use McCormick perfect pinch.
- Rosemary: I like to use crushed dried rosemary rather than the long dried needles.
- Salt + Pepper
- Sugar: Just a little bit of granulated sugar helps balance the sharpness of the brine.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Store undressed salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Can You Freeze This? No! Fresh greens do not freeze well. Serve this salad fresh and chilled!
- Make-Ahead Tips: The salad dressing can be made a few days ahead.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
How To Make Pizza Salad
- Mix and combine all the dressing ingredients
- Cook the pepperoni
- In a bowl, combine all the salad ingredients
- Toss the salad and the dressing
- Serve.
***See the full instructions below.
More Refreshing Salad Recipes
- Strawberry Salad (with arugula, crumbled blue cheese, strawberries, and a homemade sherry vinaigrette)
- Carrot Salad
- Quinoa Salad
- Marinated Tomato Salad
- Three Bean Salad
- Pea Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pizza Salad
Our pizza salad is a refreshing, yet hearty combo, of everything delicious about your favorite slice of pizza and the best Italian-style salad.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pepperoncini brine plus more to taste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch granulated sugar plus more to taste
Salad:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ounces pepperoni cut into thin strips
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 3 tablespoons sliced pepperoncini, drained
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives, drained
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
Instructions
Dressing
- Add all dressing ingredients to a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to to mix. Taste and more pepperoncini brine and or sugar to taste.
Salad
- In a 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add pepperoni (2 ounces) and cook, over medium heat, stirring often, until pepperoni is crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and cool.
- In a large bowl, combine romaine (1 large head), pepperoncini (3 tablespoons), grape tomatoes (1 1/2 cups), red onion (1/4 cup), black olives (1/2 cup), mozzarella (1 cup), and garbanzo beans (1 cup). Add dressing to taste and toss until evenly combined.
- Divide salad among plates and top with grated parmesan (1/4 cup) and julienned basil (1/4 cup).
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 912mg | Potassium: 482mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 9673IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 2mg
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I'D LOVE TO SEE!Tag @GonnaWantSeconds or #gonnawantseconds on Instagram!
© Gonna Want Seconds. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media/website/blog is strictly prohibited.
This looks so yummy! I don’t see it mention slicing the pepperoni into strips but it looks that way in the pictures. Do you slice it up?
Hi, Jennifer! Yes, please slice them up into thin strips. I’ll add that now. Thank you 🙂
Been trying to stick to my diet, but I’m running out of salad ideas and craves pizza all the time, this salad is the answeeeer!!
Yaaay! Thanks, Clare! I’m glad you found this pizza salad 🙂