Perfect Chopped Salad

A peaceful stroll through a summer garden will show you just how many fresh flavors are ready to be plated up — crunchy lettuce and romaine, bright tomatoes, tangy olives, and juicy cucumbers. These vivacious vegetables come together to form the Perfect Chopped Salad, a refreshing and refreshingly simple-to-make side. In only 15 minutes, this ideal salad beckons with its verdant colors and its topping of parmesan cheese and herbaceous Italian dressing. The Perfect Chopped Salad really is perfect; what else could you ask for from a succulent salad?

Ingredients

• 1 romaine heart, chopped
• 5 cups leafy lettuce, chopped
• 1 large shallot, sliced
• 1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup ripe green olives, halved
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing
• 1/2 cup jarred sliced pepperoncini
• 1/4 cup parmesan, shavings or shredded, plus more, to taste, for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Directions

Step 1 –Combine the romaine, the lettuce, the shallots, the cucumbers, the tomatoes, the olives, the Italian dressing, the pepperoncini, 1/4 cup of the parmesan, and the red pepper flakes together, tossing to ensure everything is evenly coated in the dressing.

Step 2 –Serve topped with the extra parmesan.