Easy Tossed Big Italian Salad Recipe | Wicked Spatula (2024)

This big tossed Italian salad recipe is like your favorite sub sandwich in salad form. See how to make easy Italian green salad in just 15 minutes.

by Maya Last Updated on May 29, 2020 19 Comments

This tossed Italian salad recipe has all your favorite sub flavors – without the bread, for a low carb and paleo easy Italian salad! I’m not even sure this can be called a recipe, it’s really more of a method. But I knew that I had to share it because if you’re like me, you’ve missed Italian sub sandwiches since going gluten-free. Well, not anymore! Enter the big Italian SALAD. It’s perfect for lunch or a light dinner accompanying your favorite Italian meals. And, this Italian green salad will totally take care of those sub cravings.

This Italian sub salad is basically all my favorite flavors from a local pizza shop’s sub sandwich I used to love. Pepperoni, salami, crunchy lettuce, tomatoes, banana peppers, olives, and red onions… all tossed in an herb-y submarine-style dressing.

The ingredients down below are all suggestive if you want different veggies (maybe sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers?) or different meats (prosciutto, capicola, or ham?). Go right ahead and mix things up. Just be sure to make this delicious Italian dressing to go with your Italian chopped salad!

How To Make Italian Salad

It literally takes less than 15 minutes to throw this simple salad together, but it tastes like it was made in a fancy Italian restaurant.

The steps for how to make Italian salad couldn’t be any easier:

• Prepare the salad dressing. Mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper together.
• Chop all the veggies and meat for salad. Toss salad together and drizzle with the submarine vinaigrette dressing. Serve!

Can You Make Tossed Italian Salad For A Crowd?

Yes, you can definitely make this Italian green salad for a crowd. I recommend preparing all the veggies and having the homemade salad tossed together. Then, set out the dressing, so everyone can add as much as they want. This will prevent the chopped salad from becoming too soggy as it sits.

TIP: When making this easy salad for a crowd, it helps to set the bowl inside a large container of ice. That way, it will last longer.

Is This Italian Green Salad Healthy?

Yes, this tossed Italian salad is VERY healthy! It’s loaded with tons of vegetables and nutrients. Let’s chat about all the goodness in what I consider the best salad ever:

• Romaine Lettuce – When you use romaine lettuce for this Italian salad, you will be filling up on calcium, vitamin C, phosphorus, folate, potassium, magnesium, and more.
• Tomatoes – One of the most awesome aspects of eating tomatoes is the antioxidants they provide! You will get lots of lycopene, vitamin C, folate, and potassium.
• Olives – Many people don’t realize that olives offer a lot of nutrients. They are packed with iron, copper, calcium, and vitamin E.
• Red Onions – Adding some red onions to your Italian salad gives you vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

How Do You Store This Italian Salad Recipe?

Store this Italian green salad in the refrigerator. Keep it in an airtight container or bowl.

TIP: Store the salad undressed or it will get soggy. The dressing itself will store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

What To Serve With Italian Green Salad

One thing about this quick salad recipe is that it goes with EVERYTHING! You can eat it all by itself, as an appetizer or even the main course. Take a peek at some of my other paleo salad recipes while you at it.

Here are some of the main courses I like to serve this Italian salad recipe with:

• The Best Easy Paleo Meatloaf – Meatloaf is a household favorite and goes lovely with this Italian green salad.
• The Best Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata – So much flavor in this amazing dinner idea.
• Tuscan Chicken Spaghetti Squash Boats – These are seriously so amazing and the flavors match perfectly with Italian salad.
• The Best Chimichurri Chicken – Every bite of this juicy chicken is heavenly.