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Pizza Salad with Creamy Parmesan Vinaigrette

Name: Pizza Salad with Creamy Parmesan Vinaigrette
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 6 Cups Romaine Lettuce (chopped - this is approximately 2 heads); 1 Cup Baby Tomatoes (halved); 1 Cup Red Onion (finely sliced); 3/4 Cup Kidney Beans (canned - drained and rinsed); 3/4 Cup Garbanzo Beans (canned - drained and rinsed); 3/4 Cup White Mushrooms (finely sliced); 1/4 Cup Pepperoncini (chopped); 1/2 Cup Black Olives (sliced); 1 Cup Pepperoni (chopped); 1 1/4 Cups Croutons (chopped); 1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard; 2 Teaspoons Honey; 2 Cloves Garlic; 1 Lemon (juiced); 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar; 3/4 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano (freshly grated); 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt; 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

By Nicole Modic ⎯

March 2, 2025

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If you love pizza, but are trying to get more veggies into your diet this year, then I’ve got the perfect recipe for you. This Pizza Salad with Creamy Parmesan Vinaigrette is a hearty, flavorful salad that is inspired by a recipe from one of my favorite San Francisco restaurants. It comes together with a bed of romaine lettuce, topped with baby tomatoes, red onions, two types of beans, crunchy croutons, and a creamy parmesan vinaigrette that perfectly ties it all together. It’s basically a pizza in a bowl!

A large bowl of salad filled with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, red onions, olives, chickpeas, croutons, and grated cheese. In the background, there's a small bowl of spices, a jar of peppers, and a wooden cutting board.

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Friends, if you follow me on Instagram, then you may have seen that my latest San Francisco restaurant obsession is none other than Little Original Joe’s. One of the newest Italian restaurants in the city, this spot is almost always crowded… and for a good reason. As soon as you’re seated at your table, they bring out a bowl of crispy, salty, house-made rosemary potato chips that are the perfect way to whet your appetite. From there, their menu is filled with Italian classics, like spicy rigatoni, crispy thin-crust pizza, and their Shaved Brussels Sprouts salad that is so good, I just had to recreate it. Lately, I’ve been going there almost once a week for dinner – call me crazy, but I truly can’t get enough of it!

So naturally, I had to recreate one of my favorite dishes from them: their infamous Pizza Salad. This salad takes everything that you know and love about pizza, and turns it into a delicious salad that is topped off with a creamy parmesan vinaigrette. I mean truly, does it get any better than that? Like the LOJ (Little Original Joe’s) classic, this salad is filled with salty pepperoni slices, hot pepperoncinis, bright sliced red onion and cherry tomatoes, crispy, crunchy croutons, and both kidney beans AND garbanzo beans. If you’re looking for a salad that truly has “all of the things,” then this salad is absolutely it!

Plus, with a super easy step-by-step preparation, this salad comes together in just 15 minutes. It’s perfect for whipping up as a quick and easy lunch, or enjoying as a side dish alongside your favorite proteins – like my Quick and Easy Chicken Parmesan!

Top view of a variety of salad ingredients on a light surface, including lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, chickpeas, red onions, pepperoni, croutons, Parmesan cheese, beans, and lemon wedges, with various dressings and seasonings. — To make this salad, you’ll need romaine lettuce, baby tomatoes, red onion, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, white mushrooms, pepperoncinis, black olives, pepperoni, croutons, olive oil, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, lemon juice, Parmigiano Reggiano, red wine vinegar, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.

A creamy dressing being poured from a spoon into a glass. Nearby are a lemon, salt, black pepper, mushrooms, olive oil, and some green vegetables on a wooden board, suggesting ingredients for a salad dressing. — To make this salad, you’ll need romaine lettuce, baby tomatoes, red onion, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, white mushrooms, pepperoncinis, black olives, pepperoni, croutons, olive oil, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, lemon juice, Parmigiano Reggiano, red wine vinegar, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.

What You Need to Make This Italian-Inspired Salad

Romaine Lettuce: Crispy, crunchy romaine lettuce makes for the perfect base for this salad.
Baby Tomatoes: Baby tomatoes are not only easier to eat than traditional tomatoes, since they’re smaller and crunchier, but they’re also bursting with flavor. Plus, they add the perfect color to this salad!
Red Onion: Crisp, sliced red onion adds a bright and refreshing flavor to this salad – don’t skip it!
Kidney Beans & Garbanzo Beans: The combination of kidney beans and garbanzo beans not only packs this salad full of fiber, but also adds plant-based protein and a delicious texture to this salad that truly can’t be beat.
White Mushrooms: Mushrooms on pizza? Delicious. Mushrooms in a pizza salad? Even better! I love the addition of white mushrooms to this salad.
Pepperoncinis: Pepperoncinis add the perfect kick to this salad, without making it completely overpowered.
Black Olives: I love black olives on pizza for that salty, briny flavor, and they add the perfect zing to this salad.
Pepperoni: No pizza is complete without the pepperoni, in my opinion, which means that this pizza salad wouldn’t be complete without the pepperoni! You can, of course, omit if you prefer a vegetarian-friendly option, but I personally love the saltiness that the pepperoni adds to this recipe.
Croutons: Just like a pizza needs its crust, this salad needs croutons! You can use store-bought croutons or make your own using my easy recipe!
Olive Oil: My favorite oil to use in homemade dressings is olive oil, because it is heart-healthy and filled with healthy fats.
Dijon Mustard: The Dijon mustard adds a tangy, creamy element to this dressing that is delicious.
Honey: A touch of honey adds just the right amount of sweetness to the dressing without it being overpowering.
Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic cloves in my salad dressing recipes, and this recipe is no exception. Why?
Lemon Juice: You’ll need the juice of one lemon in order to make this dressing.
Red Wine Vinegar: Red wine vinegar adds just the right amount of acidity to this vinaigrette that perfectly ties it together.
Parmigiano Reggiano: Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano truly adds the most delicious flavor to this salad dressing, WAY better than your pre-shredded parmesan cheese. If there’s one ingredient that’s worth the splurge, it’s this one!
Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper: A little salt and pepper adds the perfect finishing touch to the salad dressing – don’t skip this!

A colorful salad bowl with cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, kidney beans, olives, sliced red onions, mushrooms, pepperoni, and croutons on a bed of lettuce. Sliced pickles and a golden serving spoon are nearby. — Next, build the salad. Add the chopped romaine lettuce to a bowl, followed by the sliced baby tomatoes, white mushrooms, pepperoncinis, pepperoni, red onion, croutons, and the drained and rinsed kidney beans and garbanzo beans.

How to Make This Salad in Under 15 Minutes

To make this salad, start by preparing the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, grated parmigiano reggiano, kosher salt, and ground black pepper) to a blender. Blend until the dressing is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set the dressing aside.

Next, prepare the salad. Wash and chop the romaine lettuce and add it to a bowl. Slice the baby tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncinis, olives, white mushrooms, pepperoni, and croutins, and add them to the bowl with the lettuce.

A colorful salad in a white bowl with cherry tomatoes, kidney beans, red onion, olives, chickpeas, croutons, and pepperoncini. Dressing is being poured over the top. Plates and seasonings are in the background. — Then, pour the creamy parmesan vinaigrette over top of the assembled salad.

A bowl of colorful salad featuring lettuce, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, croutons, sliced red onions, and creamy dressing, topped with grated cheese. A fork rests on the side of the white plate, placed on a pink tablecloth. — Then, pour the creamy parmesan vinaigrette over top of the assembled salad.

Then, prepare the beans. Drain kidney beans and garbanzo beans, then add them to the salad. Finally, pour the dressing on top of the salad. Toss to fully combine, then serve and enjoy!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim

Nut Free/Refined Sugar Free