Name: Italian Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup white wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (for the dressing); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 clove garlic clove (grated); 1 teaspoon sugar; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 6 cup romaine lettuce (chopped); 2 cup iceberg lettuce (chopped); 2 Roma tomatoes (sliced); ¼ red onion (sliced into thin rings); ½ cup whole black olives; 6 pepperoncini peppers; 1 cup croutons; ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (for topping)

Instructions

Make the dressing
Make the dressing:
In a jar, shake ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper until creamy and emulsified.
Build the salad
Build the salad:
In a large bowl, combine 6 cups chopped romaine, 2 cups chopped iceberg, 2 sliced Roma tomatoes, the red onion rings, ½ cup black olives, and 6 pepperoncini.
Toss and serve
Toss and serve:
Pour about half the dressing over the salad and toss well. Top the Italian salad with 1 cup croutons and ¼ cup grated Parmesan and serve with the remaining dressing.

Tips

The spoonful of mayonnaise emulsifies the dressing, giving it the creamy texture of the restaurant version. Chill the salad bowl for 10 minutes before tossing to keep everything extra crisp. The dressing keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week; shake well before using.