Supreme Pizza Salad: this isn’t a boring, run-of-the-mill salad. Mixed greens are tossed with crisped pepperoni, pesto pita chips, artichoke hearts, mini mozzarella balls, marinated olives, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, pepperoncini, grated Parmesan, and a flavorful pesto vinaigrette.
Light enough for warm weather yet satisfying as a meal, this salad brings pizza-inspired flavors without heating up the kitchen. Gather your favorite ingredients and get ready for a dish that’s both fresh and indulgent.
On a memorable Caribbean cruise I discovered a pizzeria on board, and it reminded me how irresistible fresh, hand-tossed pizza can be. I’m also a devoted salad lover, and the ship’s 24-hour salad bar was outstanding. Combining those two obsessions led me to this Supreme Pizza Salad—essentially pizza and salad in one bowl.
Back home, I spotted a pizza-salad idea on Instagram and adapted it into this version. It’s customizable: load it up with every topping listed for a fully loaded experience, or keep it simple with pepperoni, cheese, pesto pita chips, and dressing.
What ingredients do I need for a pizza salad?
For the complete Supreme Pizza Salad include:
- Pepperoni (sliced and crisped)
- Mixed spring greens or arugula
- Pesto pita chips
- Quartered artichoke hearts
- Halved cherry tomatoes
- Mini mozzarella balls (or cubed/torn fresh mozzarella)
- Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drained)
- Italian marinated olives
- Thinly sliced bell pepper and red onion
- Pepperoncini rings
- Grated Parmesan
- 3-ingredient pesto vinaigrette for serving
If you prefer a simpler version, just use pepperoni, cheese, pita chips, and dressing. Mixed greens, arugula, or a blend of spring greens work best as the base.
Pizza Salad Cook’s Notes
If you need to use the oven in summer, make it work for you: bake pita chips and crisp the pepperoni at the same time on separate pans. Watch the pepperoni closely—its color and texture change quickly. Bake 5–8 minutes at 400°F until edges crisp and fat renders; transfer to paper towels to drain and finish crisping as they cool.
Line baking sheets with parchment or foil for easy cleanup. Drain crisped pepperoni on paper towels; if you prefer the extra flavor, you can add some of the rendered fat to the salad, but draining keeps the salad lighter.
If mini mozzarella balls aren’t available, substitute 1 cup cubed or torn fresh mozzarella. Choose sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and, if possible, marinated in Italian herbs. Marinated Italian-style olives with herbs and garlic are ideal, but any pizza-style olives will work.
To prep ahead, store toppings separately in airtight containers and assemble just before serving to keep textures crisp.
If you love pizza salad, you might also enjoy these pizza-inspired recipes
- Pepperoni Pizza Bialys
- The Best Pan Pizza — how to make and what to put on it
- Smoked Salmon Cucumber Pizza
- Pepperoni Pizza Gnocchi
- Tuscan-style Prosciutto, Fig, and Greens Pizza
- Slow Cooker Deep Dish Pizza
- Charred Corn and Rosemary Grilled Pizza
- Hawaiian Pizza
Useful tools for making Supreme Pizza Salads
- Sheet pan for baking pepperoni and pita chips
- Parchment paper for easy cleanup
- Good cutting board
- Sharp chef’s knife
Supreme Pizza Salad
Ingredients
- 24 slices pepperoni
- 10 cups mixed spring greens
- 16 pita chips (pesto flavored recommended)
- 1 cup quartered artichoke hearts
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup mini mozzarella balls
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 cup Italian marinated assorted olives
- 1/2 bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup pepperoncini rings
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions
To serve:
- 1/3 cup pesto vinaigrette
Instructions
To crisp the pepperoni:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Arrange pepperoni in a single layer with space between slices. Bake 5–8 minutes, until edges crisp and fat has rendered. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to cool and drain.
To assemble the pizza salad:
- Arrange greens on a large platter. Tuck pita chips around the edges, layer the crisped pepperoni over the greens, then scatter artichokes, tomatoes, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, peppers, onions, and pepperoncini. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan if desired and serve immediately with pesto vinaigrette.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate using the exact ingredients you use for precise values.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so the author can see your creation.
This post was originally sponsored in July 2018 by Princess Cruises and was republished in May 2020 with updated notes.