Introducing…EAT EASY: MASTER BALANCED FOOD HABITS AND COOK WITH CONFIDENCE

cassidyeats

copycat portillo’s chopped salad

I am from the midwest where hot dogs and Italian beef are king. Portillo’s is a Chicagoland staple and you can almost always guarantee the drive-thru is wrapped around the corner but let me tell you it’s worth the wait!

Since we moved to Colorado we don’t have any Portillo’s locations but I thought I could take a stab at making their chopped salad myself but a little healthier. This salad preps great for lunches or in a large batch for a potluck. There’s really not a bad time to eat it! Serve as a side at a BBQ or fill a bowl and have it for a meal.

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copycat portillo’s chopped salad

  • Author: cassidyeats

Ingredients

Scale

for the salad:

  • 4 cups of cooked ditalini pasta
  • 1 cup cooked bacon (bacon bits are a quick sub here but nothing beats the real thing)
  • 3 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 2 cups red cabbage, chopped
  • 3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • sliced green onions
  • ~1 cup of crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
  • shredded chicken breast, optional

for the dressing:

you can purchase a store bought italian or sweet Italian dressing, but if you want to make it yourself this is how I’ve done it based on recipes I’ve found online.

  • 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon swerve, or sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup light extra virgin olive oil 

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions and set aside after you have drained it to cool. 
  2. Prepare the bacon, I like to bake mine on a wire rack over a cookie sheet at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes. Let the bacon cool on some paper towels and get chopping while the noodles and bacon cool! 
  3. Once you have finished chopping your ingredients and have added everything else, mix your dressing. Store the salad separately in the refrigerator and pour the dressing on each time you serve to avoid it getting soggy.