Iceberg Salad Recipe
Bright, crunchy, and bursting with bold Italian flavor, this Iceberg Salad is the perfect light side dish. Simple to make, refreshingly delicious, and on your table in 10-15 minutes. This is my go-to summer salad and it pairs so well with pizza!
So, what makes iceberg lettuce so special? After all, compared to other leafy greens, its flavor is quite mild. In my experience, that’s exactly what makes it the perfect base for salads, especially when you want a fresh, crisp contrast to bolder ingredients, like in this Italian-style salad.
Thanks to its high-water content, iceberg lettuce is incredibly refreshing and hydrating, making it a great low-calorie choice for any salad. Its mild flavor also pairs beautifully with almost any dressing!
Never used iceberg lettuce before? Now is your chance with this easy yet flavor-packed iceberg salad recipe!
What is an iceberg salad?
This Iceberg salad is a bold, Italian-inspired side dish with a base of roughly chopped iceberg lettuce, green onions, and finely chopped briny green olives, all tossed in a homemade tangy and briny dressing.
Each serving is garnished with whole pepperoncinis, whole green olives, and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan, then finished with cracked black pepper. What you get is a refreshingly crunchy, tangy, and savory salad that comes together in just 15 minutes.
Why you’ll love this iceberg salad recipe
- Incredibly easy to make using just a handful of ingredients and a simple, homemade dressing.
- Pairs beautifully with a wide range of main dishes for casual weeknight dinners or elegant holiday meals.
- The iceberg lettuce delivers a crisp, refreshing crunch that adds a light yet satisfying bite to any plate.
Ingredients needed to make iceberg lettuce salad recipe
- Iceberg lettuce: 1 medium-large head of lettuce is sufficient for this iceberg salad. I’ve chopped it roughly for more of a rustic appearance. You can shred the lettuce instead, if you prefer added texture.
- Green onions: For a lovely bite of onion flavor that pairs beautifully with the briny olives and pepperoncinis.
- Green olives: Large-sized pitted olives and finely chopped. You’ll also need 3 whole green olives per serving, which equals 24 in total.
- Whole pepperoncinis: 2 per salad is great, which means you’ll need 16 for this iceberg salad recipe.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated as an ingredient in the dressing and a fresh topping to the assembled salad.
- Black pepper: Add freshly cracked black pepper over the assembled side plates of salad just before serving.
- Homemade dressing: This dressing combines white vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, grated Parmesan, pepperoncini brine, olive brine, large green olives, minced garlic, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
How do you make iceberg lettuce salad
Make the dressing:
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl.
- Whisk or shake vigorously until fully emulsified.
Assemble the salad:
- In a large bowl, toss together the chopped lettuce, sliced green onions, and finely chopped green olives.
- Drizzle the dressing over the mixture and toss well to coat evenly. Just before serving, give the salad another quick toss.
- To serve, divide the salad among 8 small plates.
- Garnish each portion with 2 whole pepperoncinis, 3 whole green olives, and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately.
Serving
This iceberg salad is meant to be served as a refreshing side dish to your main meal.
For savory pairings, consider enjoying this iceberg lettuce salad with this Boursin Chicken Recipe, Traeger Ribeye Steak, Panko Crusted Cod (with Mayo), Beef Bourguignon, or Spicy Shrimp Scampi.
Of course, this crisp green salad can be paired with pretty much anything!
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Salad storage: This iceberg salad with crisp lettuce is best served immediately, although you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the lettuce will start to wilt over time.
- Make ahead: Make the salad dressing and store it in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week. I prefer to keep my homemade dressings in mason jars (especially to show off their pretty vibrance), but any sealable jar or airtight container will work. It’s normal for the oil to solidify in the fridge – just bring the chilled dressing to room temperature and give it a good shake or whisk before using again.
- Double the recipe: Easily increase the salad ingredients and dressing to serve a larger crowd.
- Taste to test: Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad. Easily adjust the flavor with extra sugar (or honey), vinegar, or brine, depending on what is needed to suit your preferences.
- Shake before use: Shake the salad dressing jar vigorously for at least 30 seconds to ensure the dressing doesn’t separate too quickly.
- Drizzle just before serving: Dress the salad just before serving to avoid soggy lettuce leaves, especially with delicate greens like iceberg lettuce. Alternatively, you can serve the dressing alongside each plate of salad for your dinner guests to help themselves to.
- Maximize crispy texture: Shred the iceberg lettuce and chill it in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes before mixing with the dressing for an even more crisp and refreshing result!
Variations:
- Cheese: Replace the grated Parmesan with provolone cheese, mozzarella, crumbled goat cheese, or feta.
- Crunch: Add some crunch to this iceberg lettuce salad recipe by sprinkling in some toasted nuts or seeds.Homemade Italian croutons are another delicious topping that’ll add crunchy texture.
- Italian-style mix-ins: For a meaty Italian twist, add in sliced salami. This keeps the salad light and refreshing while adding delicious meaty flavor.
- Wedge-style iceberg salad: Get creative and mix in crumbled cooked bacon pieces with a crumbled blue cheese topping.
If you love salads with bold Italian flavor like this iceberg salad, make sure to try this Viral La Scala Chopped Salad Recipe and Spaghetti Pasta Salad. Perfect for summer!
More leafy green salads you may want to try:
- Pancetta Arugula Salad
- Green Salad with Apples
- Poached Pear Salad
- Orange Juice Salad Dressing (with Orange Salad)
- Asian Crunch Salad
Get the Recipe:
Iceberg Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 cups roughly chopped iceberg lettuce, from about 1 medium-large head
- 6 green onions, finely chopped (green only)
- ½ cup finely chopped pitted large green olives
- 2 cups whole pepperoncinis, for serving (2 per salad, so you will need 16)
- 2 cups whole green olives, for serving (3 per salad, so you will need 24)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- fresh black cracked pepper
For the dressing:
- ⅔ cup distilled white vinegar
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons pepperoncini brine
- 2 tablespoons olive brine, large green olives
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, or more – taste first
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl.
- Whisk or shake vigorously until fully emulsified.
- In a large bowl, toss together the chopped lettuce, sliced green onions, and finely chopped green olives.
- Drizzle the dressing over the mixture and toss well to coat evenly. Just before serving, give the salad another quick toss.
- To serve, divide the salad among 8 small plates.
- Garnish each portion with 2 whole pepperoncinis, 3 whole green olives, and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Salad storage: This iceberg salad with crisp lettuce is best served immediately, although you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the lettuce will start to wilt over time.
- Make ahead: Make the salad dressing and store it in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week. I prefer to keep my homemade dressings in mason jars (especially to show off their pretty vibrance), but any sealable jar or airtight container will work. It’s normal for the oil to solidify in the fridge – just bring the chilled dressing to room temperature and give it a good shake or whisk before using again.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
