PORTILLO'S CHOPPED SALAD RECIPE - (3.3/5)

Portillo's Chopped Salad Recipe - (3.3/5) image

Provided by á-25010

Number Of Ingredients 17

Previous Next

Sweet Italian Dressing:
4 cups cooked Ditalini pasta
1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
3 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
2-1/2 cups chopped red cabbage
2 fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup sliced green onions
4 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese (about 1 cup)
(optional) 2 cups cooked and diced chicken
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Steps:

1.Cook Ditalini pasta according to package instructions. Make sure you salt the pasta water while cooking to give it some flavor. Drain and cool. Set aside. 2.Cook bacon in a skillet until done. Let bacon cool, then crumble it. 3.Combine romaine, iceberg, red cabbage, tomatoes and green onions in large salad bowl. 4.Add cooled pasta, bacon and gorgonzola cheese to salad. Add chicken if desired. 5.Add dressing to taste right before serving so that it doesn't get soggy. 6.For the Dressing: Place vinegar, garlic, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper in a blender. While the machine is running, slowly drizzle olive oil through the blender top or feed tube until dressing is combined and emulsified. You can also just whisk it in a bowl. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to two weeks. Notes Another tip: If you make the dressing ahead of time and add a little bit to the cooled pasta and let it soak it up in the fridge for some time it adds a whole lot of flavor. Some readers have used apple cider or red wine vinegar instead of regular balsamic (when white can't be found) so that the color is lighter and more appealing when drizzled on the salad. White balsamic can be found right next to the regular balsamic vinegar at the store.