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Pizza Salad

BySammi Ricke
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This quick and easy pizza salad recipe is what we turn to when a pizza craving strikes, but we still want something that’s nutritious and will leave us feeling energized and light. Loaded with all our favorite toppings, it’s so satisfying we don’t even miss the crust! 

Love pizza? Try our easy garlic bread pizza and low-carb chicken pizza, too. 

Croutons, mozzarella pearls, croutons, and fresh veggies in a bowl.

What is Pizza Salad? 

We aren’t claiming to have created the concept, but our pizza salad recipe is a meal we whipped up out of a need to use leftover pizza toppings. However, it turned out to be so tasty that it became a regular in our meal rotation! 

It’s exactly what you’re probably thinking — a salad that tastes like pizza. We start with a base of greens, add a variety of toppings, and finish with a drizzle of homemade dressing that brings the savory, herbaceous flavors you get with pizza sauce. 

Filling, flavorful, and ready in minutes, it’s a good-for-you lunch or dinner that even picky eaters love! 

Pizza salad ingredients like pepperoni, a crouton and veggies on a fork.

Ingredients and Notes

Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete ingredients and instructions! 

Italian dressing ingredients labeled and in bowls on a white marble countertop.
  • Dressing – You can use any store-bought dressing you like best, but we make our own! All you need is extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, monk fruit sweetener (or sugar), Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. 
Labeled ingredients in bowls for pizza salad on a white marble countertop.
  • Veggies – We start with a base of spring mix, but you could use arugula, Romaine, butter lettuce, or spinach instead. Then, we add bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and sliced red onion. 
  • Toppings – Mozzarella pearls, turkey pepperoni, black olives, basil leaves, croutons, and Parmesan cheese are what transform this from any old salad to a pizza salad! 

Possible Variations

Just like regular pizza, the options are endless for this salad. Add to or swap out the ingredients to satisfy all your cravings! Some of our favorite options include: 

  • Protein – Shredded chicken (plain or BBQ), ham, sausage, or bacon. 
  • Veggies – Roasted squash, eggplant, mushrooms, or zucchini. 
  • Cheese – Use plant-based cheese for a dairy-free option. 
  • Extras – Pineapple (you do you, okay), pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, etc. You can even add a dash of Ranch seasoning! 

How We Make Our Pizza Salad Recipe

Mozzarella pearls, turkey pepperoni, black olives and veggies on mixed greens in a bowl.
  1. Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. 
Homemade Italian dressing in a glass mason jar.

2. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar. 

Croutons, shredded Parmesan cheese and Italian dressing on pizza salad in a white bowl.

3. Pour the dressing over the salad, top with croutons, and Parmesan cheese.

Croutons and Parmesan cheese topping a pizza salad in a bowl.

4. Serve. Enjoy!

Can I Make This Recipe Ahead of Time? 

This recipe is best served right away. However, if you want to prepare in advance, you can store the dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Then, store the salad (without croutons) in a separate container for up to 3 days. 

More Delicious Salads

Croutons, mozzarella pearls, croutons, and fresh veggies in a bowl.

Pizza Salad Recipe with Italian Vinaigrette Recipe

Sammi Ricke
Skip the takeout, and make this pizza salad recipe with a homemade Italian vinaigrette to satisfy your pizza craving with zero guilt instead!
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Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish, Salad
Cuisine Italian
Servings 5 main dish servings or 8-10 side salad servings
Calories 397 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Italian Vinaigrette

Salad

  • 10 ounces spring mix salad blend
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup thinly sliced red onion (½ small red onion)
  • 8 ounces mozzarella pearls
  • 5 ounces turkey pepperoni slices
  • 2.25 ounce can sliced black olives
  • 6-8 fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly
  • 2 cups croutons
  • 1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

Italian Vinaigrette

  • Add all the vinaigrette ingredients to an 8 ounce mason jar. Use a handheld frother or whisk to blend the ingredients until combined. Alternatively, secure the lid and shake vigorously until the ingredients are combined.
    2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons water, 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon monk fruit sweetener, 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Set the vinaigrette aside while preparing the salad. This will allow the monk fruit sweetener to dissolve.
  • Before serving, stir the vinaigrette. Taste and season with additional salt, black pepper and garlic powder if needed. If the vinaigrette is too tart, add more olive oil or a pinch more monk fruit sweetener.

Salad

  • To a large bowl, add the mixed greens. Top with the bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella pearls, pepperoni slices, black olives and fresh basil.
    10 ounces spring mix salad blend, 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced, 1 cup 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved, ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, 8 ounces mozzarella pearls, 5 ounces turkey pepperoni slices, 2.25 ounce can sliced black olives, 6-8 fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly
  • When ready to serve, drizzle with the Italian vinaigrette, top with croutons, and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Alternatively, if you are meal prepping this recipe, store the salad tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and the dressing for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. When ready to serve, divide into individual servings, and top with vinaigrette, croutons and Parmesan cheese.
    2 cups croutons, 1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Notes

Vinaigrette Tips – White wine vinegar can be used in place of the red wine vinegar in the vinaigrette. We use our Italian seasoning blend, if using a store-bought seasoning blend you may need to add ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder to the dressing. If desired, store bought Italian dressing can be subbed for the homemade vinaigrette. The vinaigrette tends to separate while stored, so stir/shake before using.
Substitute Tips – Iceberg lettuce, spinach, or your preferred greens work well in this salad. Regular pepperoni can be substituted for turkey pepperoni. White sugar, honey or maple syrup may be substituted for the monk fruit sweetener.
Ingredient Tips – Try adding different toppings like sliced banana peppers for a kick of flavor or ground beef or turkey for additional protein to make it a main dish. Feel free to get creative with the ingredients/toppings!
Serving Tips – This recipe makes 5 meal-sized servings, though we like to add additional protein such as ground beef/turkey or chicken breast if serving as a main dish. However, it does make enough for 8-10 side salad portions if serving alongside pizza or another main dish.
Nutrition is calculated for 5 servings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 397kcalCarbohydrates: 19.1gProtein: 23.6gFat: 25.2gSaturated Fat: 9.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 76.6mgSodium: 1415.8mgPotassium: 42mgFiber: 3.1gSugar: 2.5gVitamin A: 81.3IUVitamin C: 2.8mgCalcium: 229.5mgIron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Did you enjoy this Pepperoni Pizza Salad Recipe? We’d love it if you left a rating and review to let us know, and don’t forget to tag us in your recreations on Instagram! 

Sammi Ricke is a talented cook with a knack for coming up with creative new ways to healthify recipes without sacrificing any of the flavor. Sammi has built a beautiful life with her high school sweetheart and enjoys her primary role as a stay-at-home mom to their two children. If Sammi's not in her kitchen, she's probably exploring a new hiking trail, enjoying coffee with a friend, or binge-watching the latest "Food Network" show on Netflix. Sammi's full Bio.

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18 Comments

  4. Love this recipe, Sammi! It’s got all the flavours of pizza in a much healthier package! Tweeted, scheduled to pin and will share later today on the Hearth and Soul Facebook page. Thank you for sharing, and hope to ‘see’ you at Hearth and Soul again this week!

    Reply

  7. Pizza with less guilt…yes, please! Thanks for linking up to the Creative K Kids’ Tasty Tuesday, I look forward to seeing what you come up with next week!

    Reply

  8. Sammi, The salad looks wonderful and very similar to one I have made for myself. Your pictures are gorgeous and show off this salad beautifully! Pinned to share . . . AND going to feature your recipe at Snickerdoodle link party this Saturday! Thanks for linking up and sharing with us!
    ~Laurie

    Reply

  10. Beautiful, Sammi! I gotta try this. Maybe with the addition of the turkey pepperoni (which I already use in my homemade pizza recipe), my non-salad loving son will actually look forward to salad!
    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Gleniece! I SO appreciate the compliments and really hope your pizza loving son will give this salad a try. Tell him if my pizza loving 7 year old boy tried and liked he will too. 😉 Blessings to you!

      Reply