Pizza Salad
This pizza salad includes all your favorite toppings, served on a bed of lettuce. It’s a great way to eat a rainbow of vegetables while enjoying the satisfying flavors of a tasty pizza!
This recipe was inspired by my two favorite foods: pizza and salad. I started thinking about how I could use leftover flatbread to make croutons for a salad, and then I kept going from there. I realized I could add my favorite pizza toppings to a salad and the pizza salad was born! Looking for the inverse of this recipe? Try my salad pizza!
I used romaine as the base and then added some of my favorite pizza toppings including tomatoes, pepperoncini, red onion, bell peppers, mozzarella, and Parmesan. I even added olives to give it an authentic vegetable pizza twist, but you can skip the olives if that’s not your thing.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Romaine lettuce– I love using romaine for a crunchy base but you can substitute wth iceberg, little gem, or butter lettuce.
- Tomatoes– I used a large slicing tomato but cherry tomatoes work great, too. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters.
- Pepperoncini– I love the spicy flavor of pepperoncini but if you don’t want any spiciness, you can leave them out.
- Red onion– Red onion has a bit of a sharp bite, which I love. But if you want a more mild flavor, try using a small shallot instead.
- Bell pepper– I used a yellow bell pepper but any color works fine.
- Mozzarella cheese– I used mozzarella pearls but you can use shredded mozzarella or fresh mozzarella torn into pieces. You could also substitute with provolone for a different pizza flavor!
- Parmesan cheese– I recommend buying a block of real Parmesan cheese and shredding it at home. Skip the stuff in the green can!
- Black olives– I’m actually not a big fan of olives but I think they do add that “pizza” twist. You can add them or leave them out if you don’t like them.
- Mayonnaise– This makes the dressing nice and creamy. You can substitute with olive oil if desired. The dressing won’t be creamy, but it’ll still have a nice rich flavor.
- Red wine vinegar– Red wine is my personal favorite, but you can substitute it with white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
- Italian seasoning– If you don’t have Italian seasoning, add a pinch of rosemary and thyme, then double the oregano.
- Oregano– If you don’t have oregano, replace with additional Italian seasoning.
- Crushed red pepper– This is optional. If you don’t like spicy food, feel free to leave it out.
- Salt– I try to give you an idea of how much salt to add, but I always recommend that you adjust salt to taste.
- Pizza crust– I like to use baked flatbread sliced into triangles. Any pizza crust is fine. Bake it completely then slice into wedges. You can brush it with olive oil and seasoning with Italian seasoning for even more flavor. If you don’t have pizza crust or you don’t want to bake a crust for this salad, substitute with croutons.
The Best Pizza Crust
Any pizza crust is fine for this recipe, but I typically use a pre-made flatbread since I often have them in my freezer. Whatever crust you decide to use, bake it completely then slice it into wedges. You can brush it with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning for even more flavor. If you don’t have pizza crust or you don’t want to bake a crust for this salad, substitute with croutons or breadsticks. I have a recipe for homemade croutons or air fryer croutons.
How to Make Pizza Salad
in a large bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make this recipe vegan? Yep! Skip the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. I recommend adding chickpeas or white beans for some added protein. For the dressing, use vegan mayonnaise.
- Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Yes! Use gluten-free pizza crust or flatbread or gluten-free pita chips in place of the pizza crust.
- Can I make this in advance? This recipe is best served immediately but you can prepare the salad up to 1 day in advance. Just don’t add the dressing until you’re ready to serve it. The pizza crust can be served at room temperature or reheated in an oven on low heat.
How to Store Leftovers
If you don’t plan to eat the whole pizza salad in one sitting, keep the dressing separate from the salad and just dress the portions you’re enjoying right away. Store the salad and dressing in separate containers in the fridge. The salad base will last for 1 day in the fridge and the dressing will last for up to 4 days.
More Pizza-Inspired Recipes
PrintPizza Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This pizza salad has all your favorite toppings, served on a bed of lettuce. It’s a great way to eat a rainbow of vegetables while enjoying the satisfying flavors of a tasty pizza!
Ingredients
- 6 cups romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped pepperoncini
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 4oz mozzarella pearls
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons black olives
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 small pizza crust, naan or flatbread, baked until crisp and cut into wedges OR 1 cup croutons
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the romaine, tomatoes, pepperoncini, onion, bell pepper, mozzarella, Parmesan and olives.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and salt.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss until combined.
- Top with pizza crust wedges or croutons and serve.
Notes
I like to use pizza crust for this salad, but if you don’t have pizza crust, you can use croutons or a baguette instead. I use a flatbread crust. I bake it until crispy then brush it with a little olive oil to keep it from drying out. Then I slice it into triangles and serve a few with each salad.
My family loved it! The instructions say that there is garlic powder in the dressing, but I don’t see it listed in the ingredients. How much garlic powder? It was still excellent without!!Â