Italian Chopped Salad With Pasta: Neat to eat
My Nana was a stickler for tearing salad greens into uniform, “bite-size” pieces. She despised floppy leaves that slopped dressing when maneuvering unwieldy ingredients into her mouth.
Enter the modern chopped salad: They are not only neater to eat because the ingredients are cut into a uniform size and shape, they also better distribute separate flavors into a cohesive forkful.
There is a national chain called Chop’t offering long lists of customizable chopped salad greens, topping and dressings. Closer to home, Subway and trendy supermarkets offer a wide variety of chopped salads, although they can be pricey.
The Star’s Italian Chopped Salad With Pasta is a simple salad to prepare and one that the whole family will enjoy.
Preparation tip: Chopped salads are a great way to practice your knife skills. If you own a crescent-shaped mezzaluna blade, this is a great time to use it, but any sharp knife will do.
Serving tip: Add grilled chicken and turn this into a delicious entree.
Italian Chopped Salad With Pasta
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Dressing:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
Salad:
3/4 cup small shell pasta
2 heads of hearts of romaine, chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
3 slices turkey bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola
Place the dressing ingredients in a blender or use an immersion blender to process until smooth; set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and allow to cool. Place pasta in a salad bowl. Add remaining salad ingredients and toss to combine.
Drizzle with dressing, toss and serve immediately.
Per serving, based on 8: 140 calories (51 percent from fat), 8 grams total fat (3 grams saturated), 13 milligrams cholesterol, 12 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 214 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.
This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 10:00 AM.