Salads are my fave! This amazing keto salad recipe with my homemade Italian dressing will fill you up for hours! This low carb salad is loaded down with all the good stuff...chopped salami, pepperoncini's, grape tomatoes, black olives and yummy provolone cheese.
I mean, how amazing does this keto salad look? It really is super simple to make and it can be meal prepped! It is full of keto friendly meats, cheeses, and vegetables and is only 7 net carbs per serving.
Salads are a great way to get in a lot of vegetables, high quality fats, and proteins without having to do a lot of cooking. This keto salad recipe is nutritious and full of so much flavor. It is way better than any salad you would be able to find in a restaurant and definitely has less calories and carbs.
Have you ever noticed how many calories a dinner salad has at most restaurants? Sometimes they are 1200 Kcal! Yes they may be keto friendly, but they probably have hidden carbs and they are almost always super high in calories. My keto salads pack a veggie punch, are super filling, and don't break the calorie budget. Salads like my Keto Asian Steak Salad and Keto Greek Chicken Bowls.
Ingredients needed
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this keto salad recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For the printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
1 recipe Keto Italian Dressing (in the recipe card below) - If you are short on time, you can use a store bought Italian dressing. Just make sure it is low in carbs.
12 cups chopped romaine - I like to use romaine for this recipe as it is a hearty lettuce and can stand up to all of the toppings. I would not recommend iceberg.
6 ounces Genoa Salami, cut into 4ths - I love the salty bite the salami brings to this keto salad but a little goes a long way.
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half - Yes, you can have tomatoes on keto! Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. These only add 9 carbs for the entire recipe.
½ cup sliced black olives - I know not everyone is an olive person so feel free to omit these. You could also use kalamata olives if you like the brine taste they offer.
⅓ cup sliced pepperoncinis - This is another ingredients that packs a punch so a little goes a long way. Feel free to add more if you want even more of an acidic kick.
½ cup chopped provolone cheese - I can only ever find provolone sliced so that is what I used in this recipe. I then chop the slices into little square pieces of cheese.
¼ cup shredded parmesan - It wouldn't be an Italian chopped salad if it didn't have shredded parmesan!
½ small red onion, thinly sliced - If you aren't an onion lover, feel free to omit this.
How to make this amazing keto salad
This section explains how to make this low carb salad recipe step by step. For a full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
Step 1 - Make the dressing. I like to add all of the dressing ingredients to a measuring cup or small bowl and then combine with a whisk. You can also add all of the ingredients to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and shake it to emulsify the dressing. This dressing can be used for all of your keto salads!
Step 2 - If you want to serve this low carb salad for dinner: Layer the chopped romaine in the bottom of a large bowl. Place the rest of the toppings on top of the lettuce, then pour the dressing over top. Finally, toss the salad with salad tongs and season with salt and pepper to taste. See below for meal prep instructions.
Tips for the best keto Italian chopped salad recipe
- Make sure your ingredients are all bite size. No one wants to try to shove a big piece of lettuce in their mouth.
- Check for seasoning at the end. The dressing does have salt and pepper but that is a lot of lettuce in this keto salad. You will probably want to add more salt and pepper after the salad has been tossed.
- Use a store bought dressing if you are short on time. Making a dressing really doesn't take up that much time but I know sometimes we are not in the mood to mix up a dressing. Some store bought Italian dressings are keto friendly and only have 1 or 2 carbs per serving. Watch out for ones that have added sugar, though.
Low carb salads storage instructions
Store: If you know the whole salad isn't going to be consumed in one sitting, do not toss the salad with dressing. Store the romaine, toppings, and dressing all separately in the refrigerator for the best results.
Meal prep: To meal prep this keto salad, separate the chopped romaine into a meal prep bowl. You can put the toppings on top of the lettuce, or you can separate them into their own bowl or zip top bag. The dressing can be stored in a small portable dressing cup. This salad meal prep container makes a meal prepped keto salad a breeze!
Tools to make keto salads easier
- Large salad bowl - When I am serving a salad to my family, I like to present it in a large salad bowl. This one I linked has the salad tongs with it.
- Sharp knife - every at home chef needs a good set of knives in their kitchen.
- Jar with tight lid - This jar with lid would be perfect for mixing the salad dressing
More keto salad recipes
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Keto Italian Chopped Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Italian Dressing:
- ⅓ Cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teasooon Granular Sweetener (Click here to see my favorite on Amazon)
- 1 Clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper to taste
Salad:
- 12 cups Chopped Romaine Lettuce
- 6 Ounces Genoa Salami, cut into 4ths
- 1 ½ Cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- ½ Cup sliced black olives
- ¼ Cup sliced pepperoncinis
- ½ Cup chopped provolone cheese
- ¼ Cup shredded parmesan
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- To make the Italian Dressing, combine in a small mixing bowl, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sweetener, garlic, dijon, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Whisk together to combine all your ingredients. Set aside.
- In a large salad bowl, start building your salad by adding in your chopped romaine lettuce, salami, cherry tomatoes, sliced olives, sliced pepperoncinis, sliced onions, provolone cheese and shredded parmesan.
- Using salad tongs, toss your salad to combine all your ingredients. Add your homemade italian dressing and toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!
Jennifer's tips
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy only. Please re-calculate on your own with the ingredients and amounts you used for the most accurate data.
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