Simple Italian Chop Salad
The simplest, light, delicious Italian salad to make. Chop the ingredients, toss in dressing and voila, you’ve got a main or side salad.
This is seriously the simplest salad to make. It’s chopping up the ingredients, tossing them in the dressing and serving… and voila you’ve got a light, delicious Italian salad.

Simply cut the romaine hearts into 2″ strips. Wash thoroughly and spin in a salad spinner. Try not to miss this step. If the lettuce is too wet the dressing won’t stick to it. This is the newer version of the one we’ve had for years, and it’s an absolute must have for lettuce. Not to mention, it keeps clean lettuce from wilting as fast.

Wash the tomatoes really good (being on the dirty dozen list and all), and chop each of them into 6 wedges.
Wash the celery and cut it into smaller bite size pieces.
Wipe and slice the mushrooms.
Shred the carrot with a potato peeler.

Add all the veggies to a bowl. It’s easiest to add them to a bowl with a lid so you can shake the bowl and mix the dressing really good. Otherwise, mix thoroughly.

Slice the baguette into 1-2″ slices and top with vegan butter or olive oil.

And serve.

Simple Italian Chop Salad
A light, delicious Italian salad, perfect on it's own or with your favorite pasta dish!
Ingredients
- 2 heads romaine hearts
- 3 roma tomatoes
- 6 white button mushrooms
- 2-3 stalks celery *this is a recipe where the celery heart can really shine it's flavor through, so don't hesitate to grab those middle pieces.
- 1 carrot
- 1/3 c Newmans Own Classic Oil & Vinegar dressing adjust as necessary
- 1/8 c vegan parmesan cheese adjust as necessary
- fresh cracked black pepper **this is key for the flavor of this salad. Don't opt for ground if you're able!
- 1 baguette as garnish *optional
Instructions
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Chop the romaine hearts into horizontal strips about 1 1/2"-2" wide. Wash thoroughly and use a salad spinner to remove excess water. Add to your serving bowl.
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Chop the roma tomatoes into 6 wedges. Add to salad bowl.
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Chop the celery into small, bite size pieces. Add to bowl.
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Slice the whole mushrooms into 3-4 pieces. Add to bowl.
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Shred the carrot into 3-4" shreds with a potato peeler. Add to bowl.
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Add in the parmesan cheese, the cracked pepper and dressing and toss or mix well.
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Cut the optional baguette into 1" angled slices and serve with vegan butter.
Recipe Notes
Some helpful notes:
- If you have a bowl with a lid, it makes it easier to build the salad in it and shake the dressing to thoroughly mix it. Then transfer to your serving dish.
- I really believe a salad spinner is necessary in this recipe. If the lettuce is too wet the dressing won’t stick to it.
- If you’re going to mix the dressing in this salad it’s best eaten that day. By the next day it does get soggy. You could always add the dressing after serving into individual dishes too, it just won’t saturate it as much.
