Italian salads are distinguished by their variety and ease of execution. Like all Mediterranean cuisine, they correspond to a healthy lifestyle and high food culture.

We will need

For dressing: a glass of coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves, ten large leaves of fresh basil, a quarter tsp. dried oregano, two cloves garlic, a quarter cup of a good quality red wine vinegar (such as Gourmet), three quarters a cup of a good quality olive oil (such as Lucini or Colavita), three quarters tsp. salt, quarter tsp. pepper, one and a half tsp. honey. For the salad: a large head of Romaine lettuce, washed, dried and chopped, a large red bell pepper, also chopped, a glass of chopped cucumbers, a large carrot, chopped into ribbons, a bunch of small tomatoes, a handful of pitted olives, Ricotta or Feta cheese " - in bulk, to taste.

Note

"Ricotta" is sheep's milk cheese, and not salted cottage cheese at all. The cheese has a completely different, refined taste and bright aroma. Look for it in the Cheese specialty store. Italian salads, although simple, do not tolerate approximation.

How to do it

First, the dressing sauce: place all ingredients in a food processor and mix vigorously. Now the salad: place everything according to the list in a wide bowl. Season very generously, especially with lettuce leaves, but only just before serving. Sprinkle with ricotta.

Tuscan salad

Italian salad recipes can differ significantly from each other depending on the area in which they are prepared. Here we offer a salad from Florence.

What you need

Romaine lettuce tossed with Italian dressing, ham, pepperoni, choice of Italian cheeses, chopped tomatoes, olives, bell peppers, red onion, olive oil and croutons.

How to do it

Generously season cleanly washed and dried lettuce leaves with Italian sauce (sold ready-made), place on the bottom of the dish, and top with finely chopped ham, sausage, and cheese. Then add chopped tomatoes, olives, peppers and red onions. Cut a few pieces of white bread into cubes and fry in a frying pan or in the oven, drizzling with olive oil. It would also be nice to drizzle it on the salad on the platter. Sprinkle a handful of croutons on top and serve!

Salad with oranges

Italian salads can be extremely refreshing and light. For example, this orange one.

What you need

Peeled and peeled slices of two oranges, a quarter cup of finely chopped red onion, chopped green onions, Seven Seas sauce, leaves of half a head of Romaine lettuce, washed and dried.

How to do it

Season the lettuce leaves with the sauce, place them on a plate, then add the oranges and add the onions. Add more sauce, stir lightly.

Crab salad

This is a recipe for crab salad, one of the most interesting dishes that Italian cuisine offers. Salads are especially good for a summer and warm day. The dressing is a combination of mayonnaise, creamy Italian sauce and Parmesan cheese. Vegetables add an unexpected twist to the flavor experience. Prepare Italian salads. Enjoy.

What you need

For the salad: two cups of boiled pasta, one and a half cups of chopped crab meat, half a cup of diced green bell pepper, half a cup of quartered cherry tomatoes, a quarter cup of chopped green onions, grated Cheddar cheese - to taste. For dressing: half a cup of mayonnaise, a quarter cup of creamy Italian sauce, a quarter cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

How to do it

Boil the pasta in salted water, rinse it, and place it in a large bowl. Place crab meat, green onions, tomatoes, peppers and grated Cheddar there. In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, cream sauce and cheese. Pour over the salad and mix gently. Cover and refrigerate for two hours before serving.

Italian salad - general principles of preparation

Italian cuisine is not only pizza and pasta with all kinds of toppings. This is also a lot of delicious and healthy salads that are not so difficult to prepare at home. Most Italian salads are made from vegetables, seafood, meat, olives and, of course, cheese. Cheese is the hallmark of Italian cuisine. Mozzarella, Parmesan, Sicilian pecorino, grana padana - all these (and not only) varieties are actively used to prepare a wide variety of salads. The cheeses used differ not only by name, but also by type: soft, hard, whey, semi-soft or moldy. The listed types are found in most Italian salads. The dishes are seasoned mainly with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and various homemade sauces. Many salads contain ham, pasta, tomatoes, shrimp, different types of lettuce, basil and all kinds of seasonings (marjoram, oregano, thyme, rosemary, fennel and others). Italian salads can be purely vegetarian, fish or meat, as well as hot or cold.

Italian salad - preparing food and utensils

Italian salads are usually served on flat serving plates, but the dish itself is prepared in a deep bowl, in which it is convenient to mix all the ingredients with the dressing. You will also need a small bowl or bowl for the sauce, a frying pan, a saucepan, knives, a grater and a cutting board.

All products must be thoroughly washed and dried, especially vegetables and herbs, since they are mainly used raw. Pre-cut meat is usually fried with spices, then salad is added. Seafood is washed with water and heat-treated (boiled or lightly fried in olive oil).

Italian salad recipes:

Recipe 1: Italian Salad

This simple yet sophisticated salad is perfect for a light breakfast, dinner or picnic. It is advisable that the cheese, tomatoes and lettuce be of certain varieties, but if these are not available, you can use regular products.

Required ingredients:

• “Lady fingers” tomatoes – 250 g;
• Mozzarella cheese - 300 g;
• Ice Mountain salad - half a head of cabbage;
• Basil - 1 small bunch;
• Sour cream - 100 g;
• Salt pepper;
• Olive oil - 30 ml;
• Lemon juice - 60 ml.

Cooking method:

To prepare an Italian salad, you will need a wide salad bowl. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly, remove the stems and cut into thin slices. Place the tomatoes in a salad bowl. We take the cheese balls out of the brine and strain off the liquid. 30 ml of brine should be left for preparing the dressing. Place mozzarella on top of tomatoes. Wash the lettuce leaves, dry them, tear them with your hands in any shape and place them on the cheese and tomatoes. Rinse the basil with water, separate the leaves from the stem and chop finely. Prepare the sauce in a blender: mix sour cream, lemon juice, olive oil, brine, basil and pepper. Season the salad with the prepared sauce. If desired, you can add a little sea salt.

Recipe 2: Italian Pasta Salad

This salad belongs to the category of vegetarian low-calorie dishes. Despite this, it turns out to be a very filling and healthy snack.

Required ingredients:

• Ring-shaped paste - 150 g;
• Zucchini - 300 g;
• Salt;
• Young spinach leaves - 250 g;
• Garlic - 1 clove;
• Basil - 1 small bunch;
• Olives (pitted) - 12 pieces;
• Lemon juice - 45 ml;
• Parmesan cheese - 35 g;
• Black pepper (ground);
• Vegetable broth - 100 ml.

Cooking method:

Cook the pasta in salted water until cooked, drain in a colander after cooking. Wash zucchini, basil and spinach thoroughly. Trim the hard stems from the spinach and cut the zucchini pulp into thin circles. We tear off the leaves from the basil stems. Peel and chop the garlic (just not finely). Place garlic, olives, basil in a blender, add lemon juice and vegetable broth. Puree all ingredients until smooth. Season with pepper and salt. Place pasta, spinach and zucchini in a deep dish and season with the prepared sauce. Decorate the finished Italian salad with pasta with grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe 3: Italian ham salad

This dish attracts not only its ease of preparation, but also its unforgettable spicy taste. This salad is a wonderful treat for guests, and men will especially appreciate it. The dish is prepared immediately before serving and served warm.

Required ingredients:

• Purple (red) onions - 3 small heads;
• Dry-cured Parma ham (can be replaced with smoked breast) - 10-11 thin slices;
• Arugula - 3 handfuls;
• Green salad - 50 g;
• Thyme - 1 sprig;
• Pine nuts - a small handful;
• Salt;
• Olive oil;
• Parmesan cheese - 40 g;
• Balsamic vinegar.

Cooking method:

We clean the onions and cut them into small slices. Take a non-stick frying pan, add oil, heat and fry the brisket or ham until crispy and golden brown. Remove the meat and add a little olive oil. Place the onion, thyme, and nuts in the pan and add a little salt. Fry the food for about five minutes until golden brown. Mix the fried ingredients with the cape and place in a beautiful salad bowl. Add lettuce and arugula. Sprinkle the dish with vinegar and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. This Italian salad should be served before it gets cold.

Recipe 4: Italian salad with figs and ham

An incredibly tasty Italian salad that any gourmet will appreciate. This salad can be found on the menu of Italian restaurants, but why go anywhere when you can prepare such a delicious dish at home?

Required ingredients:

• Figs - the quantity depends on the number of people;
• Parma ham - to taste;
• Mozzarella cheese";
• Basil (purple and green);
• Lemon juice.

Cooking method:

We make a small cut on each fig in the form of a cross. Use your fingers to squeeze the figs so that the flesh becomes visible. Place the figs on a wide flat dish and place slices of Parma ham on top of each fig. Spread Mozzarella cheese. Prepare a dressing from honey and lemon juice and pour it over the salad. Decorate the dish with finely chopped basil.

Recipe 5: Italian salad with beef and onions

This aromatic and spicy dish is sure to become a frequent guest on any holiday table, be it a birthday, anniversary, or just a family dinner. Men will be crazy about this salad, and ladies too.

Required ingredients:

• A quarter glass of dry red wine;
• 18 ml balsamic vinegar;
• Beef tenderloin - 240 g;
• Half a teaspoon of dried rosemary;
• Garlic clove;
• 2-3 feathers of green onions;
• Olive oil - 45 ml;
• Purple onion head;
• 1 tomato;
• Half a cup of chopped basil leaves;
• Lettuce - a few leaves;
• Salt - to taste;
• A pinch of red pepper;
• Parmesan cheese - to taste.

Cooking method:

First you need to marinate the beef. We wash the meat and cut it into small pieces, put it in a bowl. Add a marinade of wine, rosemary, vinegar, a tablespoon of olive oil and chopped garlic to the meat. Place the meat in the refrigerator to marinate for 3 hours. Fry the meat until golden brown. Place the meat in a glass bowl. Wash the tomatoes, onions and basil. Cut the red onion into thin half rings and add to the meat. Finely chop the green onions and basil and add to the salad. Finely chop the tomatoes and add to the rest of the products. Prepare a dressing from the remaining oil, two tablespoons of vinegar, red pepper and salt. Pour it over the salad and thoroughly mix all the ingredients of the Italian salad. Line the serving plates with lettuce leaves, place the salad on top and sprinkle the dish with finely grated Parmesan.

Italian salad - secrets and useful tips from the best chefs

Even the simplest Italian salad can be turned into a real culinary masterpiece if you use some secrets and little tricks. Firstly, it is necessary to carefully observe the proportions of both the main ingredients and dressings. The best Italian chefs believe that the cook should not spare oil and should be careful with vinegar and especially with salt. Much attention should be paid to the design of the dish, as the Italians say - “every cook is also a little bit of an artist.” The order in which the ingredients are added should also be observed. So, all types of salads are laid out last, and they are never cut, but torn by hand. And the most important secret of Italian salads is that they are prepared only from the freshest and highest quality ingredients.

• Chicken fillet, 500 grams;
• One can of canned corn;
• Cherry tomatoes, 250 grams;
• Fresh cucumbers, 3-4 pieces;
• One onion;
• Mozzarella cheese, 250 grams;
• Chicken eggs, 4 pieces;
• Fresh herbs, to taste;
• Lettuce leaves;
• Vegetable oil;
• Salt, Italian herbs, pepper.

Recipe:

1. Boil water, then add salt, pepper, and other spices to taste. Rinse the chicken fillet under water, then place the fillet in boiling water. Chicken cooks very quickly. Within half an hour the fillet will be ready. Remove the meat from the boiling water and cool. Then cut the chicken into small pieces.
2. Choose sweet and sugar corn for salad. Open the jar and drain all the liquid, then dry the corn a little.
3. Wash the cherry tomatoes thoroughly under running water. Then cut the tomatoes into slices or halves.
4. Also wash fresh cucumbers under water, then cut off the tails on both sides. We will cut the cucumbers into rings. If desired, cucumbers can be peeled.
5. Peel the onions and cut into half rings. You can also use red onion.
6. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes.
7. Place chicken eggs in a saucepan with water. Then bring the eggs to a boil and cook for a few more minutes. Drain the boiling water from the eggs and cool them. Then we peel the chicken eggs. Cut the eggs into two or four.
8. Wash the fresh greens and chop them finely.
9. We wash the lettuce leaves under water, then lay the lettuce leaves along the bottom of the salad bowl.
10. Mix all the chopped ingredients together, season with vegetable oil, salt, and add Italian herbs. Transfer the salad to a salad bowl.

Ingredients:

• Chicken fillet, 500 grams;
• Cherry tomatoes, 200 grams;
• White loaf, 300 grams;
• Lettuce leaves, one bunch;
• Parmesan cheese, 200 grams;
• Olive oil;
• Half a lemon;
• Salt, Italian herbs, black pepper.

Step by step recipe:

1. Let's start preparing the salad by preparing the meat. We wash the chicken fillet under water, then cut the meat into medium pieces. Rub the meat with salt and a mixture of Italian herbs. Then heat the frying pan and fry the meat. Fry the meat until golden brown.
2. We wash the salad leaves under water. Then we tear the leaves into medium pieces. Drizzle the lettuce leaves with a little lemon juice and olive oil. Place lettuce leaves in a salad bowl.
3. We will cut the cherry tomatoes into slices.
4. Cut the white loaf into cubes. Then fry the pieces of bread in olive oil. Also add spices and some chopped garlic. The crackers will turn out fragrant and tasty.
5. Grate Parmesan cheese.
6. Add lemon juice and Italian herbs to olive oil. Mix all the ingredients together and season the salad with the previously prepared dressing.

Ingredients:

• Ham or smoked chicken, 400 grams;
• Tomatoes, 3 pieces;
• Bell pepper, 3 pieces;
• Hard cheese, 150-200 grams;
• Canned corn, one jar;
• Green peas, 200-250 grams;
• Pasta, 350-400 grams;
• Garlic to taste;
• Mayonnaise or vegetable oil;
• Salt and spices to taste.

Recipe:

1. Pasta for salad works best in the form of cones or spirals. Bring water to a boil and add pasta to it. Add salt, spices you can use turmeric, pepper, Italian herbs. To prevent the pasta from sticking, add a little vegetable oil to the water. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse with water, then add a little butter to it and cool.
2. First, wash the tomatoes. Then cut into two parts, remove liquid and seeds. Cut the tomatoes into small cubes.
3. We also remove the seeds from the bell pepper and cut it into cubes.
4. Cut the hard cheese into thin strips or grate it on a coarse grater.
5. Place green peas in boiling water and cook until soft.
6. Canned corn must be drained.
7. Pass the garlic through a garlic press or finely chop it.
8. Cut the ham into small slices.
9. Now we have all the necessary ingredients ready. All we have to do is put them in a common container and mix thoroughly. Season the salad with mayonnaise or vegetable oil and also add salt.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers, 3-4 pieces;
• Cherry tomatoes, 200 grams;
• Olives, 200 grams;
• Soft cheese, 250 grams;
• Ham, 250 grams;
• Bell pepper, 3 pieces;
• White bread;
• Olive oil;
• Garlic to taste;
• Mayonnaise;
• Lettuce leaves, one bunch;
• Salt and spices to taste.

Recipe:

1. Fresh cucumbers, wash the cucumbers well under running water. If you want, you can peel the cucumbers. Then cut the cucumbers into cubes or half rings.
2. Cut cherry tomatoes into halves or slices.
3. Leave the olives whole or cut them into two parts.
4. We will cut the soft cheese into cubes.
5. We take the ham out of the packaging and then cut it into cubes or strips.
6. First, remove the seeds from the bell pepper. Then wash and cut into strips or cubes.
7. Cut the bread into cubes. Then dry the pieces of bread a little in the oven. Chop the garlic with a knife and place it in olive oil. Then we take our croutons out of the oven and put them in a frying pan. Drizzle the croutons with olive oil and garlic and fry a little. The croutons will be very fragrant.
8. Wash the lettuce leaves and tear into medium pieces.
9. Mix all the prepared ingredients together, season the salad with mayonnaise and salt. Serve the salad immediately while the croutons are still warm.

Ingredients:

• Cod fillet, 300-350 grams;
• Shrimp, 250 grams;
• Lettuce leaves, one bunch;
• Avocado, 2 pieces;
• Bell pepper, 3 pieces;
• Red onion, one head;
• Soy sauce;
• Salt, pepper, Italian herbs;
• Fresh dill, to taste;
• Garlic to taste.

Recipe:

1. First of all, let's prepare the fish. Cut the fillet into small pieces, then pepper, salt and roll in flour. Heat a frying pan and pour vegetable oil onto it. Now we can fry the fish pieces. Cook the fillets until the fish turns golden brown.
2. Let's prepare shrimp for the salad. First you need to boil the water. Be sure to add salt, pepper, and other spices to your taste. You can also add a little lemon juice and chopped garlic. Place the finished shrimp in a colander and let them dry a little. Then carefully peel the shrimp.
3. Cut the avocado into two parts and remove the pit. Cut the avocado into cubes so that it does not darken and pour lemon juice over the avocado.
4. Peel the red onion and cut into half rings.
5. Peel the bell pepper from the internal seeds, rinse under water and cut into thin strips.
6. Finely chop fresh dill.
7. Chop the garlic and add it to the soy sauce. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, pour the dressing over the salad and put it in a beautiful salad bowl, sprinkle the salad with Italian herbs.

Ingredients:

• Tiger shrimp, 300 grams;
• Cherry tomatoes, 300 grams;
• Parmesan cheese, 250 grams;
• Fresh cucumber, 2-3 pieces;
• Bell pepper, 3 pieces;
• Onion head;
• Fresh basil, 50 grams;
• Olive oil;
• Salt, black pepper.

Recipe:

1. We will boil tiger shrimps in salted water. You can also add spices to taste. Boil shrimp for 3-5 minutes. Then drain them in a colander and clean them. You can also cook shrimp in another way, for example, fry them in vegetable oil with spices.
2. We wash the cherry tomatoes under running water, cut the tomatoes into slices or halves.
3. Grate Parmesan cheese. Instead of Parmesan, you can put hard cheese.
4. Wash fresh cucumbers under water, cut the cucumbers into cubes or half rings.
5. First, remove the seeds from the bell pepper, then rinse the pepper under water and cut into cubes or strips. Use red pepper.
6. Peel the onions and cut them into quarters or half rings. If desired, marinate the onions in vinegar or lemon juice.
7. Finely chop the fresh basil. You can use either green or purple basil. In addition to basil, add other herbs; they will only improve the taste of the finished dish.
8. We move on to the final stage, mix all the products, salt the salad and season with olive oil. Add your favorite spices. Serve the salad immediately while the shrimp are still slightly warm. Now you know how easy it is to diversify your everyday cuisine with new Italian salads. Treat yourself and your loved ones. Bon appetit.

Salads are one of the favorite dishes among Italians. Each housewife has her own secrets and recipes for making them, which are passed down from one generation to another. Italian salads have the following feature - they are almost never seasoned with sour cream or mayonnaise.

Italians usually use balsamic vinegar and cold-pressed olive oil as a dressing. The second distinctive feature is that all salad components are cut into large pieces. And to give a subtle aroma and improve the taste, many aromatic herbs are added. Many people know that Italians add pasta to their salad.

An Italian proverb says that an Italian salad should be prepared by a cook who is greedy with vinegar but generous with oil. The cook must be an excellent artist when combining ingredients, and a philosopher when adding salt.

You can diversify and decorate your menu thanks to Italian salads. You will pleasantly surprise your guests and family members by serving an original salad. Below are a few recipes for Italian salads.

For the dish you will need:

• pasta – 300 g
• green pepper – 1 pc.
• milk sausages – 100 g
• pickled mushrooms – 100 g
• green onions – 1 bunch
• tomatoes – 2 pcs.
• canned corn – 1 can
• vegetable oil.

The process of creating a dish:

1. Cut the green pepper into strips. Boil the sausages and cut them lengthwise, then crosswise into slices, 3 mm apart. You will get semicircles.
2. Drain the liquid from the pickled mushrooms and chop them finely. Also finely chop the tomatoes and green onions.
3. Prepare the pasta: take a small saucepan, pour boiling water into it, add salt and place over medium heat. Then pour the pasta into this water and cook until the pasta is soft. Drain the water. Place pasta in a salad bowl.
4. Mix pasta, chopped vegetables, sausages and mushrooms. Add corn and stir. Season with vegetable oil.

Italian salad with ham

This salad is good for the New Year's table.

For the dish you will need:

• white cabbage - 200 g;
• ham - 100 g;
• fresh carrots - 50 g;
• pasta - 50 g;
• celery - 50 g;

For the sauce:

• wheat flour -2 tbsp;
• butter - 100 g;
• raw yolk – 1 piece;
• cream - 2 tbsp;
• sour cream: - 1 tbsp;
• vinegar;
• mustard

The process of creating a dish:

1. Finely chop the white cabbage. Sprinkle everything with salt and sugar, let it sit, then squeeze out the juice. Cook separately from each other: pasta, carrots, celery. At the same time, salt the water, it will be even tastier. If the pasta is in the form of straws, first give them a length of about 7 cm, or take pasta in the form of different shapes. Cut the cooked carrots, celery and ham into strips. Pour the sauce over everything and mix well from bottom to top.
2. Place the dish in a salad bowl, garnish with herbs.
3. Instead of sauce, you can use sour cream by mixing it with mayonnaise 1:1.
4. Salad ready.

White sauce: Melt the butter in a frying pan, gradually add flour, stirring all the time. Then add cream. You will get the consistency of sour cream. Add the mashed yolk, salt, mustard, sugar and vinegar to the resulting mass. When the sauce has cooled, season it with sour cream.

Italian salad with chicken

For the dish you will need:

• chicken (breast or fillet) - 4 pcs.
• ghee - 2 tbsp. l.
• garlic - 2 cloves
• bread for toast - 2 slices
• lemon - 1 pc.
• sunflower oil - 3 tbsp. l.
• sugar - to taste
• champignons – 200g
• tomatoes -300g
• pepper

The process of creating a dish:

1. Fry the meat on each side in melted butter. Season and place it in a warm place. Cut the bread into small cubes. Chop the garlic. Fry the bread and garlic in fat. Remove and set aside.
2. Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice from the pulp. Mix everything with sugar, pepper and salt. Pour in the oil.
3. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces and the tomatoes into two parts.
4. Stir all ingredients. Place on plates, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with croutons. Slice the meat and place on the salad.

Italian salad with mozzarella and olives

This salad is very healthy, light and crispy.

For the dish you will need:

• iceberg lettuce leaves - 1 small head;
• mozzarella cheese - 200 g;
• cherry tomatoes - 200 g;
• red onion - 1 pc.;
• green olives - 1 jar;
• balsamic light vinegar - 1 tbsp. l.;
• Italian herbs - to taste.
• olive oil - 4 tbsp. l.;

The process of creating a dish:

1. Cut iceberg lettuce into cubes. Cut the cherry tomatoes into two or four parts and add to the iceberg salad. Cut mozzarella cheese into small cubes for salad. Cut green olives into thin slices and add to the salad. Cut the red onion into half rings and also add to the salad.
2. Season the Italian salad with Italian herbs, light balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Stir and enjoy the harmonious taste.

Italian salad with shrimp

It is better to buy king prawns and boil them in the shell, peel them when they are already cooked.

For the dish you will need:

• peeled shrimp – 200 g
• orange – 200 g
• cheese – 200 g
• squid – 3 pcs.
• greenery
• sour cream
• lettuce leaves

The process of creating a dish:

1. Cut the boiled squid into strips, peel the orange and cut into small pieces.
2. Tear the lettuce leaves with your hands and place them nicely on a plate.
3. Place squid, orange and shrimp on top.
4. Season with sour cream (crush chopped herbs into it in advance and mix everything).
5. Sprinkle Italian shrimp salad with cheese.