We can all agree that pizza is delicious, with all your favorite toppings and flavors all in one place, it’s a classic for a reason. There’s no denying it probably shouldn’t be your go-to dish when you’re trying to be health-conscious, until now! This week’s recipe is for a pizza salad that is everything you love about a tasty slice of pizza, but in a healthy mix of fresh greens that still give you great pizza flavor but leave you feeling refreshed. So, if you’re in the mood for a healthy way to enjoy an old favorite or just want a quick and easy recipe for dinner, read on.
This salad is just like any other pizza, in that there’s a choice of toppings for everyone, but for ours we stuck with some savory classics, starting with the Halal beef pepperoni. These are already so good but after finely chopping and cooking them in a pan to crisp up, they’re so much better and they’re the secret to this recipe with that pepperoni flavor that’s a classic for a reason. But we aren’t done with them just yet, because these delicious lil’ bits get mixed in to a blend of crispy panko breadcrumbs and a few herbs and spices, just enough to give you the taste of a great pizza crust without ruining the freshness of the salad that sets this recipe apart. We stuck with other savory toppings like black olives and slices of pepperoncini, just enough to add a little bit of tangy spiciness mixed throughout the salad. And in lieu of melty cheese, this salad gets topped with chunks of fresh mozzarella to round out the taste of a slice of pizza, perfectly adapted for a bowl of fresh spring greens.
Now, if you’re thinking “That’s a lot of delicious dry topping, but where’s the salad dressing and/or pizza sauce?” Then worry not because this is a dressing and sauce wombo-combo that is sure to please salad lovers and pizza enthusiasts alike. It’s just a matter of grating 2 beefsteak tomatoes into a mixing bowl and adding some olive oil for the salad and pepperoncini brine to add just a little bit more zest. What you’re left with is a sort of tomato-based almost-a-vinaigrette that tastes like great pizza sauce but is loose enough to easily mix into the salad to give you that fantastic flavor in every bite. This is perfect for the pizza and salad halves of this recipe and unites the two into one cohesive and delicious dish that really is the best of both worlds!
And that’s it for this recipe. It really is that quick and that easy to enjoy a great salad at home, but spruced up with your favorite pizza flavor. This is a recipe you can make easily in your own kitchen and in maybe even less time than it would take to order a pizza, but in the end you’ll have the peace of mind in knowing that you treated yourself to a healthier alternative that still tasted great. That’s it for this week, we’re hoping you give this a try for your next pizza night, and if you do, what kind of toppings did you put on it? Like I said earlier, there’s a pizza out there for everyone, so no matter what you enjoy on yours I’m sure it’ll taste great on this salad. Until next time, enjoy!