This keto friendly salad is totally gluten free, and super easy to whip up for an easy meal. It's easily customizable so it will please even the pickiest of eaters. Whip up a quick antipasto salad dressing, and you have a zesty and incredible naturally low carb salad.
We include lots of process pictures in the body of the text, as well as ideas for substitutions and more. Feel free to skip to the recipe card if you'd like to get right into it. This recipe is also available as a Google Web Story here!
Ingredients:
- Butter lettuce - Or you could use romaine or iceberg lettuce.
- Fresh basil - Optional, but really enhances the flavor!
- Veggies - We love some fresh cherry tomatoes, red or green bell peppers, homemade pickled red onions, and some Persian cucumbers. Other great additions would be olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, giardiniera, banana peppers, and pepperoncini. This salad is super easy to fit your personal tastes!
- Cheeses - We like usually a mixture of fresh mozzarella (the small balls work really great for this salad) and provolone. Parmesan would also be an excellent addition.
- Meats - Use your favorite Italian meats! We love using a mixture of Genoa salami, spicy pepperoni, and buttery prosciutto.
For the keto Italian dressing:
- Extra virgin olive oil - Use something high quality, as it will be the main flavor component of the dressing.
- Balsamic vinegar - For a little acidity. Red wine vinegar would also be absolutely perfect for this to make a red wine vinegar dressing. Apple cider vinegar would also work.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed.
- Seasoning - Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Simple!
How to Make This Low Carb Keto Italian Antipasto Salad Recipe:
If making your own quick pickled red onions, start with that first (see instructions below). In a bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients, whisk to combine. Refrigerate until it's time to put the salad together.
On a serving plate, add chopped butter lettuce and basil. Toss to evenly distribute the basil.
Layer on tomatoes, pickled red onions, and cucumbers. Drizzle with some of the dressing.
Create a layer of meat and cheese. Drizzle with more dressing.
Add the remaining vegetables, and the meat, then add the last of the dressing. Garnish with more basil. Enjoy!
Tips For The Best Keto Antipasto Salad:
- This salad is best enjoyed fresh, and doesn't save super well. If you plan to make it ahead of time, leave off the dressing, as well as the cucumbers and halved tomatoes. Add those elements right before serving.
- If you have leftovers, store in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
How To Make Your Own Quick Pickled Onions:
If you’d like to quick pickle your own onions, it’s truly simple and ready in 30 minutes.
Start by cutting one large red onion into very thin strips. Add to a large, shallow bowl. Set aside.
Combine 1 and ⅛ cups of apple cider vinegar, ¾ cup water, and ¼ cup of sweetener of choice (we used granular erythritol), and 1.5 teaspoons of salt in a sauce pan.
Bring the mixture a boil, whisking constantly to dissolve the sweetener.
Immediately pour the apple cider vinegar mixture over the onions, pressing the onions down with a spoon to make sure they are completely submerged.
Let sit for at least 30 minutes, stirring every so often to ensure the onions are submerged. Store in the fridge in the vinegar solution for up to 2 weeks.
More Keto Recipes To Try:
- Keto Eggplant Milanese
- Cast Iron Cheesy Meatballs
- Keto Lasagna Soup
- Burrata and Prosciutto Salad with Arugula
Need more ideas? Be sure to check out this massive list of over 85+ low carb and keto friendly recipes on our site!
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Until Next Time,
Briana & Chamere
Keto Antipasto Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 head butter lettuce, chopped
- 2 ounces sweet basil, cut into ribbons (optional)
- 4 ounces pickled red onions (homemade or store bought, get our recipe in the notes)
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium bell pepper, diced (we used half a red bell pepper, and half a green bell pepper)
- 2 whole Persian cucumbers, cut into rounds (can use any cucumber)
- 10 ounces mozzarella pearls
- 5 ounces provolone cheese, cut into small blocks
- 5 ounces pepperoni, cut into bite sized pieces
- 4 ounces prosciutto, cut into bite sized pieces
- 4 ounces genoa salami, cut into bite sized pieces
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 whole lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (look for a low carb brand)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- If making your own quick pickled red onions, start with that first. Check the notes below to see how we make ours. In a bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients, whisk to combine. Refrigerate until it's time to put the salad together.
- On a serving plate, add chopped butter lettuce and basil. Toss to evenly distribute the basil. Layer on tomatoes, pickled red onions, and cucumbers. Drizzle with some of the dressing.
- Create a layer of meat and cheese. Drizzle with more dressing. Add the remaining vegetables, and the meat, then add the last of the dressing. Garnish with more basil. Enjoy!
- This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but can keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can make the salad ahead of time by leaving off the dressing, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and adding those right before serving.
Notes
How To Make Quick Pickled Red Onions:
If you'd like to quick pickle your own onions, it's truly simple and ready in 30 minutes.- Start by gathering your ingredients. You will need 1 large red onion, cut into very thin strips. Place them in a large, shallow bowl. Set aside.
- Combine 1 and ⅛ cups of apple cider vinegar, ¾ cup water, and ¼ cup of sweetener of choice (we used granular erythritol), and 1.5 teaspoons of salt in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly to dissolve the sweetener. Immediately pour the apple cider vinegar mixture over the onions, pressing the onions down with a spoon to make sure they are completely submerged. Let set for at least 30 minutes, stirring every so often to ensure the onions are submerged. Store in the fridge in the vinegar solution for up to 2 weeks.
Good keto friendly additions to the salad:
You can add any of your favorite vegetables to this salad. We often love adding spicy giardiniera, olives, roasted red peppers, banana peppers, parmesan cheese, pepperoncini or artichoke hearts. Just be sure to calculate your macros accordingly.Nutrition
These nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and are only estimates. We cannot guarantee the accuracy.
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