Italian Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado-Mushroom Pesto & Melted Mozzarella
Indulge in a delightful Italian Chopped Salad featuring Creamy Avocado-Mushroom Pesto and Melted Mozzarella. This vibrant dish brings together fresh greens, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a medley of savory ingredients, all drizzled with a rich avocado-mushroom pesto. Topped with gooey melted mozzarella cheese, this salad is not only visually appealing but also packed with flavors that will satisfy your cravings. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or as a crowd-pleasing potluck dish, this recipe is quick to prepare and fully customizable based on your preferences. Dive into a bowl of freshness today!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2 to 3 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing/Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cucumber, diced
- ¼ cup sliced red onion (optional)
- ½ cup provolone cheese, cubed
- ½ cup chopped salami or pepperoni
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives, sliced
- 1 ripe avocado
- 4 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, optional red onion, provolone cheese, salami or pepperoni, Kalamata olives, and fresh herbs.
- For the pesto: In a skillet over medium heat, sauté mushrooms and garlic in olive oil until tender. Blend with avocado, basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, cold water until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Melt mozzarella by stirring it into the warm pesto or broiling it on individual salad servings for a few minutes.
- Toss the prepared salad with the creamy pesto sauce and serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 350g)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 35mg