Keto Italian Veggie Salad

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This Keto Italian Veggie Salad is a crispy and refreshing dish, which provides the Italian taste with a lower carb count. This salad is prepared with several kinds of ingredients and veggies, such as black olives, green bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, salt, red wine vinegar, mozzarella pearls, black pepper, cucumber, red onion, olive oil, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. It is not important to buy all these components from the stores; they may be present in your home. If not, then you can easily purchase them from the grocery or food stores. This salad contains 220 kcal of caloric content and 4 g of net carbs in one bowl of 1 single serving. We don’t recommend freezing this salad as the fresh veggies and cheese will lose their texture after defrosting, but you can store it in the fridge for two days.

Free Keto Meal Plan: STEP-BY-STEP KETO DIET PLAN FOR BEGINNERS

STATISTICAL OVERVIEW:

  • Course: Salad, Side Dish
  • Calories: 220 kcal
  • Diet: Keto, Vegetarian
  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Cook time: Zero minutes
  • Single portion size: 1 bowl
  • Mode of cooking: No-cook
  • Total yields: 4
  • Level of difficulty: Easy
  • Overall time: Fifteen minutes

TOOLS:

  • Large bowl
  • Knife
  • Salad tongs
  • Cutting board
  • Small bowl

INGREDIENTS:

  • ⅓ cup, sliced black olives
  • 1 cup, halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 medium, sliced cucumber
  • ½ cup, thinly sliced green bell pepper
  • ¼ cup, thinly sliced red onion
  • ¾ cup fresh mozzarella pearls
  • Black pepper
  • ¼ cup, torn fresh basil leaves
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • Red wine vinegar, 1½ tbsp.
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • Salt

INGREDIENT NOTES:

CHERRY TOMATOES:

  • It gives the salad its freshness and provides the perfect flavor. You can substitute it with grape tomatoes, which are equally excellent for maintaining a keto diet.

RED ONION:

  • Red onion provides a deep flavor and sharp taste, and it doesn’t add carbs if you use it in small amounts. For a low-carb replacement, you can utilize the green onions or thin slices of shallots, which will also work best.

MOZZARELLA:

  • We utilize mozzarella cheese because it melts easily and gives the salad a flexible texture. Use diced provolone or feta cheese to produce a dairy-free variation of this recipe.

OLIVE OIL:

  • It is a main fat source and helps to improve the Italian flavor. We suggest using the olive oil (extra virgin). As an alternative, use the cold-pressed sunflower oil or avocado oil.

CUCUMBER:

  • Cucumber will give a fresh and crunchy texture without including the extra carbs. You can swap it out with the zucchini slices, which also work for the keto diet.

RED WINE VINEGAR:

  • It delivers a tangy flavor and bright texture with zero sugar. We can include the fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in the same quantities as a substitute.

GREEN BELL PEPPERS:

  • These bell peppers provides the mild bitter taste and give a color to this salad. Alternate it with the celery or chopped zucchini in normal quantities with fewer carbs.

BLACK OLIVES:

  • They contain healthy fats and include a salty taste in this salad. Replace it with the sliced green olives, which perfectly maintain the keto diet.

Free Keto Meal Plan: STEP-BY-STEP KETO DIET PLAN FOR BEGINNERS

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Include the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, and olives in a big vessel.
  2. Carefully fold them into the mozzarella cheese, and then add the shreds of basil leaves to them.
  3. Stir the Italian seasoning, olive oil, salt, red wine vinegar, black pepper, and garlic powder in a small vessel.
  4. Spread the dressing on the salad.
  5. Mix them well till they are fully submerged.
  6. Allow to cool for fifteen minutes, or serve this salad quickly as you like.

TIPS:

  • Don’t dress the salad too much, as it will not work perfectly.
  • Make even slices of veggies to balance the texture in all bites.
  • You can include the basil just before eating to get an aromatic taste.
  • Leave the tomatoes to cool lightly before adding a fresh taste to the salad.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

MAIN COURSE:

  • Grilled Chicken Breast
  • Garlic Butter Salmon
  • Pan-Seared Tofu

PROTEINS:

  • Grilled Shrimp
  • Sliced Boiled Eggs
  • Mozzarella Balls

SIDE DISH:

  • Keto Garlic Bread
  • Zucchini Fries
  • Roasted Cauliflower

STORAGE INFORMATION:

FRIDGE:

  • Store in a closed container for two days.

FREEZER:

  • We do not advise preserving this salad because the fresh vegetables and cheese are not suitable for storage.

FAQs:

May I utilize different kinds of proteins?

  • Yes, you can use the boiled eggs, grilled chicken, or shrimp, which work properly with no added carbs.

Should I prepare this salad earlier?

  • Yes, you can make the dressing and veggies separately and then mix just before eating.

Is this salad good for a keto diet?

  • Yes, because all the components that we use in this salad are keto.

Free Keto Meal Plan: STEP-BY-STEP KETO DIET PLAN FOR BEGINNERS

NUTRITIONAL FACTS:

Fats: 18 g

Calories: 220 kcal

Fiber: 2 g

Sodium: 420 mg

Net carbs: 4 g

Sugar: 2 g

Proteins: 7 g

One single portion: 1½ cups

Total carbs: 6 g