Italian Salad With Feta Food

BIG ITALIAN SALAD

Big Italian Salad image

This Italian salad pairs nicely with Italian comfort food. You'll love the homemade dressing!

Provided by Jennifer Segal

Categories Salads

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup red wine vinegar, best quality such as Pompeian Gourmet
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Lucini or Colavita
Heaping ¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons honey
1 large head romaine lettuce (or 3 hearts), washed, dried and cut into large, bite-sized pieces
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup seeded and chopped hothouse cucumbers
1 to 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
Handful grape tomatoes, halved
Handful pitted olives
Ricotta Salata (see note) or Feta, crumbled to taste

Steps:

Make the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor and blitz to blend.
Place all of the salad ingredients except for the cheese in a large bowl. Right before serving, add about half of the dressing and toss well. Add more dressing little by little as necessary; be sure to dress greens very generously, otherwise salad will be bland. Toss in the cheese, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Note: Ricotta salata is an Italian sheep's milk cheese that has a salty, slightly tangy flavor, almost like a dry Italian feta. It is not the same as the wet ricotta in the tub. You can find it at Whole Foods, gourmet grocers or specialty cheese shops.
Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming ½ cup of ricotta salata and all of the dressing was used.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 338, Fat 31 g, Carbohydrate 12 g, Protein 5 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sugar 6 g, Fiber 5 g, Sodium 393 mg, Cholesterol 11 mg

ITALIAN FARRO SALAD

Italian Farro Salad image

This Italian Farro Salad recipe with feta, fresh tomatoes, and red wine vinaigrette is a perfect, easy meal prep idea or potluck side dish.

Provided by Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Categories Salad Side Dish

Time 45m

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked farro
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup dry packaged sundried tomatoes (not oil packed, cut into julienne slices, rehydrated if dry*)
1 large cucumber (seeded and finely diced)
3/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers (drained and finely diced )
1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 cup frozen petite peas (thawed)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Steps:

Rinse and drain farro, then cook according to package instructions. Transfer to a large mixing or serving bowl.
While the farro cooks, prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly blended. Pour half of the dressing over the warm farro and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl except for the feta: sundried tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red pepper, cherry tomatoes, peas, and parsley. Toss to coat. Taste and add as much of the remaining dressing as you like. Sprinkle with feta, lightly toss again, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 (of 10), about 1 cup, Calories 166 kcal, Carbohydrate 21 g, Protein 5 g, Fat 7 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 7 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 3 g

FESTIVE TOSSED SALAD WITH FETA

Festive Tossed Salad with Feta image

I serve this colorful salad when we have guests over for dinner because it goes with just about any main entree and is a snap to toss together with packaged greens. Dried cranberries and feta cheese add a delightful touch. -Kate Hilts, Fairbanks, Alaska

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch

Time 10m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
2 packages (10 ounces each) Italian-blend salad greens
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Steps:

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, vinegar, water and salad dressing mix; shake well. In a large salad bowl, combine the greens, tomatoes, onion, cheese and cranberries. Serve with dressing.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 156 calories, Fat 11g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 5mg cholesterol, Sodium 344mg sodium, Carbohydrate 14g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 3g protein.