Italian Pepperoni Salad

“This spicy salad goes over big with the younger crowd,” Diane Jacobson said, “because its ingredients bring to mind the flavors of pepperoni pizza.”

She’s been making this attractive, zippy salad for almost 10 years since one of her daughters, Tessa, brought the recipe home from a Family and Consumer Science class at Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa High School. 

Last year Diane shared the recipe in Brooten’s parish centennial cookbook, “Fruit of the Spirit.”

What a perfectly delicious idea — “pizza toppings” served up with crunchy, fresh, nutritious greens! CJK

Italian Pepperoni Salad

(Diane Jacobson)

2 small tomatoes

1/2 cup Italian dressing, divided

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1 green pepper, chopped

1 1/2 cups cubed cheese

1 (5-7 oz.) bag pepperoni slices

1/2 cup black olives, sliced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 head iceberg lettuce or 2 heads romaine, torn into bite-sized pieces*

Dice tomatoes and place in large bowl and add 1/4 cup Italian dressing and basil. Let set for five minutes. Add green pepper, cheese, pepperoni, black olives, Parmesan cheese and lettuce greens. Mix well. Add 1/4 cup more Italian dressing right before serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

A note from Diane: This recipe is so versatile. It calls for green pepper but you could use any color pepper. I usually use cubed sharp cheddar cheese but have made it with shredded cheese as well — any kind would be good. Cucumbers would be delicious in it. I’ve tried the salad with various kinds of lettuce including iceberg, romaine and garden varieties as well as with spinach. In a pinch, I’ve also used around one and a half bags of prepared lettuce.

A note from Carol: Diane Jacobson, a co-owner of the Brooten Home Bakery, and her husband, Scott, have been members of St. Donatus Parish in Brooten for more than 30 years. They are parents of five adult children and grandparents to 10 — ranging in age from 10 years to two weeks.

Tessa and her husband, Eric Schoenberg, and their sons, Lane (two-weeks) and Hayden (5) are members of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Belgrade.

Contact the parish office at stdonatus@tds.net or 320-346-2431 to order copies of “Fruit of the Spirit” — $10 each plus $5 for shipping.