Tuscan Garden Fresh Salad with Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper

Name: Tuscan Garden Fresh Salad with Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 3 tbsp Italian vinaigrette; 1/2 head Romaine lettuce; 1/2 qty Roasted red pepper; 8 quartered Marinated artichoke hearts; 1/3 qty Cucumber; 1 slice Red onion; 1/3 qty Beefsteak tomato; 1 tbsp Parmesan; 1 tbsp Pine nuts; 1 tbsp Butter; 8 qty Croutons; 1/4 tsp Salt (or to taste); 1/4 tsp Pepper (or to taste)

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This Tuscan Garden Fresh Salad with Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper is loaded with Italian flavors and it is one of our family favorites. This salad is simple to put together and is served best chilled. Pair it with your favorite Italian pasta dish or soup, or add chicken and turn it into a healthy dinner salad that you'll want to make again and again.

Tuscan Garden Fresh Salad in white bowl centered

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Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
Instructions
Equipment
Storage
Top Tips
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FAQ
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Food Safety

Ingredients

Lettuce - We used the romaine variety for this recipe.
Roasted red pepper - You can buy these in the jar (whole or strips). You can also roast them yourself. It's a great way to use up fresh leftover red peppers.
Artichoke - I recommend buying quartered marinated artichokes in a jar.
Cucumber - English cucumbers are our favorite because they have fewer seeds.
Red onion - Did you know you could soak red onions in cold water for a milder flavor?
Tomato - We used a beefsteak tomato, but any variety would work well for this salad.
Parmesan - We like to grate fresh parmesan, but you could also use the bottles varieties.
Pine nuts - Toasted pine nuts add so much nutty, buttery flavor and texture!
Butter - Just a little for toasting the pine nuts.
Croutons - Try our homemade crouton recipe.
Salt
Pepper

Dressing

Italian vinaigrette

Note: Refer to the recipe card below for exact quantities.

Substitutions

Nuts - Toasted almonds could be substituted for pine nuts.
Artichoke - Hearts of palm can be used if you're not a fan of artichokes.
Cheese - Any great Italian cheese could be a substitute for parmesan. Try fresh mozzarella pearls or cut provolone cheese into strips.

Variations

Add-ins - Chicken or Italian meats like salami, etc. would be a great addition to this salad if you want something more filling.

Shaking a jar of Homemade Italian Vinaigrette

Salad ingredients tomato and cucumber chopped with knife

Tuscan Garden Salad individual serving tossed in a bowl with fork

Instructions

Step One: Prepare the Dressing

There are several ways to prepare homemade salad dressings:

1). Use a bowl to whisk or stir the ingredients together.
2). Put all of your ingredients in a mason jar with a lid, then give it a little shake.
3). Use a stick blender to blend the salad dressing ingredients together. This is helpful if the dressing includes a garlic clove or anchovies.
4). Use an oil and vinegar dispenser with your favorite extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar to drizzle on salads as needed.

Homemade salad dressings are easy to make if you keep some essential ingredients on hand. See our Top 10 Favorite Salad Dressing Recipes for the dressings we love the most.

Step Two: Toast Pine Nuts

On medium heat, toast pine nuts in 1 tablespoon of butter for 2-3 minutes.

Step Three: Prepare Ingredients

Cut or tear up lettuce into small portions. Wash all lettuce and produce thoroughly, then set it aside to drain in a colander. While lettuce is draining, dice all remaining ingredients into small salad-sized portions.

Step Four: Assemble and Serve

Assemble the salad in layers with lettuce on the bottom, followed by artichoke, roasted red pepper, remaining vegetables, toasted pine nuts, and croutons.

Add a small amount of dressing and give it a good toss. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve immediately.

Equipment

_{This post shows some of our kitchen essentials. Please visit our shop if you would like to see more of our favorites. These are Amazon affiliate links and we earn commission from qualifying purchases.}

Storage

Store salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator without dressing for 2-3 days. If the salad is moist from being washed, place a paper towel on top of it to draw out the moisture.

Top Tips

Buy pre-washed and ready-to-eat lettuce to save time.

More Recipes

Have leftover ingredients?

Extra pine nuts can also be used in this Tomato Caprese Salad.
We've also added pine nuts to this Warm Bacon and Spinach Salad.

Need something to pair this with?

Try our favorite Italian recipes:

More salads recipes you will love:

FAQ

Should you cut lettuce or tear it?

It may be an old wives tale that you shouldn't cut lettuce. Supposedly, the lettuce will brown a little quicker around the edges, but many people disagree that this is true.

Should tomatoes be refrigerated?

Refrigerating tomatoes will extend their shelf life, but could also decrease their flavor or change their texture. If you don't want your tomatoes to go bad, wait until they are fully ripe, refrigerate for a few days, then bring them back to room temperature before slicing.

Should you soak red onions?

If you prefer a milder taste, then yes. Soaking red onions in ice water for 20-30 minutes will mellow out their flavor.

Why are pine nuts so expensive?

Pine nuts take a long time to grow and it is an arduous task to harvest them. Supply and demand factors combined with high shipping costs add to the expense as well.

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