Combining Savory with Seasonal

It’s easy to forget that salads can include more than vegetables, proteins and dressings. For example, our Mediterranean Antipasto Salad with Green Goddess Dressing combines fresh veggies with a savory array of flavors and tender tortellini. The result is a delicious dish that pairs well with any weekend cookout or family dinner.

Featuring peppers, garbanzo beans and tomatoes, this recipe brings fresh Mediterranean flavors straight to your table. However, there are many other Old World ingredients that can be incorporated into your favorite meals.

Eggplant

Breaded, fried, roasted, grilled—eggplant is a versatile food that’s been a long-time staple in Mediterranean cuisine. That doesn’t mean it’s reserved for one type of palate. There are plenty of flavorful eggplant-centric recipes that venture into new territories, including one of our own.

Olive Oil

Olive oil has become a standard ingredient in dishes across the world. However, Mediterranean countries like Italy and Greece have always been particularly fond of it. From pastas to pitas, it’s been used in nearly every dish you can think of. It’s also the key to warming up your tortillas.

Seafood

Considering Mediterranean food gets its name from the Mediterranean Sea, it should come as no surprise that ingredients like fish and shrimp are mainstays. But these items aren’t limited to European dishes. A great example is this recipe for Lime-Grilled Fish Tacos.

To start your culinary trip across the pond, check out step-by-step instructions for Chef Jamie’s Mediterranean Antipasto Salad with Green Goddess Dressing.

Mediterranean Antipasto Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Hands-On Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Serves
4

1 (9 oz) package fresh cheese tortellini
1/4 lb fresh green beans
2 cups baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 lb sliced hard salami, cut into strips
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
For Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves
1 garlic clove
1 tsp anchovy paste
3/4 cup La Victoria^® Thick’N Chunky Salsa Verde
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Cook tortellini in boiling salted water according to package directions. Once cooked, remove tortellini from pot with strainer or slotted spoon, reserving hot water, and place tortellini under cold running water to stop cooking process. Once cool, drain tortellini well and set aside.
Bring water back to boil and add green beans. Cook 2 minutes or until bright green and crisp tender. Remove green beans from pot and place in bowl of ice water. Once cool, drain, dry and cut green beans into 1/2-inch pieces.
In large mixing bowl, combine cooked tortellini, spinach, green beans, mozzarella cheese, salami, garbanzo beans, bell peppers, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.
To make dressing, combine mayonnaise, basil, parsley leaves, tarragon and garlic in bowl of food processor and blend until smooth. Add anchovy paste, La Victoria^® Thick’N Chunky Salsa Verde and sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Process until smooth.
Add 1 cup dressing to antipasto salad, adding more if needed, and toss to coat well.
Chill salad for at least 1 hour before serving, to meld flavors.

Combining Savory with Seasonal

Eggplant

Olive Oil

Seafood

Mediterranean Antipasto Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Hands-On Time

Total Time

Serves

Instructions

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