Low Fat Italian Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing
Bright, crisp, and bursting with Mediterranean-inspired flavors, this Low Fat Italian Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing is the perfect healthy side or light main course. Featuring a vibrant mix of fresh romaine lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and sweet red bell peppers, this guilt-free salad is topped with briny black olives and creamy low-fat feta cheese for a satisfying twist. The real star is the zesty homemade Italian dressing, made from balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and a touch of honey, infused with garlic and fragrant herbs like oregano and basil. Ready in just 20 minutes, this low-fat, nutrient-packed salad is ideal for anyone following a healthy lifestyle without compromising on flavor. Perfect for a quick lunch, a dinner side, or impressing guests, it will become your go-to Italian salad recipe!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 6 cups Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium Cucumber
- 1 medium Red bell pepper
- 0.25 medium Red onion
- 0.5 cup Black olives
- 0.5 cup Low-fat feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- 1 clove Garlic
- 0.5 teaspoon Oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon Basil
- 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
Begin by preparing the salad ingredients. Wash and chop 6 cups of romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Place the chopped lettuce in a large salad bowl.
Slice 1 cup of cherry tomatoes in half and add them to the bowl with the lettuce.
Peel and slice 1 medium cucumber into thin rounds or half-moons and add to the salad.
Chop 1 medium red bell pepper into small strips and quarter 0.25 medium red onion into thin slices, adding both to the salad.
Add 0.5 cup of halved black olives and 0.5 cup of crumbled low-fat feta cheese to the salad bowl.
To prepare the homemade Italian dressing, mix 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon of honey in a small bowl or jar.
Mince 1 clove of garlic and add it to the dressing mixture, along with 0.5 teaspoon of oregano, 0.5 teaspoon of basil, and 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together well or close a jar with a tight lid and shake until combined.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving, and gently toss everything together to evenly coat the salad ingredients.
Serve the salad immediately for the freshest flavor and enjoy a healthy, satisfying meal.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
518 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 20.4 g | 26% | |
| Saturated Fat | 8.2 g | 41% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.7 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 64 mg | 21% | |
| Sodium | 2240 mg | 97% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 55.9 g | 20% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 10.2 g | 36% | |
| Total Sugars | 32.5 g | ||
| Protein | 34.0 g | 68% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 840 mg | 65% | |
| Iron | 9.6 mg | 53% | |
| Potassium | 1616 mg | 34% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
