Just a Pizza Salad: No Salad on Crust...no Pasta...just Salad

"A few years ago I wanted to make the flavors of a classic pizza, but make a salad. All I found was a salad on top of a pizza crust which was fun,but very hard to eat. Tortillas were more Mexican to me; and, I didn't want pasta. So this was my version and I love it. The best part is you can really use any ingredients you want. I happen to love the pepperoni, ham, red pepper just for some color and olives, but throw in some mushrooms or green peppers if you want - there is no exact recipe for this. Two notes: The tomato dressing is a key ingredient; as is the marinated mozzarella. It definitely doesn't take long and adds great flavor to this salad."
 
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Ready In:
1hr 30mins
Ingredients:
22
Yields:
4 Large salad servings
Serves:
4-6
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ingredients

  • Cheese and Marinade

  • 23 cup balsamic salad dressing (I make my own, but there are many quality store bought dressings that are available)
  • 1 12 cups fresh mozzarella cheese, diced (now if you want to use those pre-marinated mozarella balls, you can, they just cost more)
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
  • Tomato Dressing

  • 6 ounces v 8 juice (a spicy tomato juice will also work)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (more or less according to how thick you like your dressing)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 12 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil
  • Pizza Crust

  • 1 large pre-made pizza crust (Boboli is one brand, but any store bought packaged crust will work)
  • 23 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 12 teaspoon ground pepper
  • Salad

  • 8 cups romaine lettuce, rough chopped
  • 1 cup pepperoni, diced (I get mine a bit thicker cut from the deli, also it is cheaper and you will have no waste)
  • 1 cup italian ham, diced (once again, just from the deli, cheaper and buy only what you need)
  • 1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red peppers
  • 1 medium onion, cut in quarters and thin sliced
  • 12 cup black olives, cut in half
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directions

  • Cheese -- In a small pan (a pie plate or something similar works great), add the cheese, store bought dressing and a pinch of the red pepper flakes. Just toss to make sure everything is well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate 1 hour to all day. Longer the better.
  • Dressing -- Another easy component of this salad. Make the day before (just hold off adding the fresh basil until ready to serve). In a small measuring cup or bowl, mix the tomato juice, tomato paste, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh basil. Just set to the side until you are ready to use.
  • Crust -- In a small measuring cup or bowl, add the olive oil, pepper, and oregano and brush on a store bought pizza crust. Top with the grated cheese and bake according to package directions until crusty golden brown.
  • Salad -- While your pizza crust is browning up - make your salad. To a large bowl, add the lettuce, onion, pepperoni, ham, red peppers, and olives. Remove the mozzarella from the marinade with a slotted spoon and add to the salad. You don't want any of the marinade in your salad. Then top with some of the tomato dressing and toss well. Cut the pizza crust with your pizza wheel and add the warm cheesy dough to the salad. You can cut it as small as you want, almost like a bread salad, or you can cut it in wedges. I personally cut mine in 1" pieces. Toss well.
  • Serve -- Nothing more needed. It is just a really nice salad. Last time I served this with a side of roasted corn chowder to my friends. Great dinner and it is best just served family style which makes it great for company.

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Reviews

  1. This recipe was the BOMB! I was tired of the same old salad so even though I was a little cynical of how good this recipe would be I tried it and boy was I surprised! The flavors meld together so well! My DM and I both agreed this is going to become as regular as Taco Salad! And it'll be the main course! Great Recipe~!!
     
  2. Wonderful salad. I made Recipe #176016 to marinate the cheese for 4 hours. I also made fresh pizza dough and cooked it on the KJ. We loved the combination of everything together. I have dressing and cheese leftover so will be having it again in the next couple days. Do try this great salad.
     
  3. Delicious! My husband didn't even add dressing - said it had enough flavor on its own.
     
  4. Thank you for a creative and delicious recipe. For those of us who value culinary quality and variety it is rare to find a fresh new taste that is not difficult or time consuming to make, but in my book, this does it. I took your lead and paired it with a soup (in my case, Potato Mushroom Chowder #26739), and it was fantastic. On top of all that, I learned some new cooking skills--like how to marinate mozzarella cheese, and how to make Boboli crust taste homemade! You took all the problems of a pizza with salad toppings or a salad alone and solved them beautifully! Thank you, thank you!
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
 
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