There’s something truly magical about the Pasta House Company Salad that keeps customers coming back for more. This isn’t your ordinary garden salad; it’s a masterpiece of contrasting flavors and textures that transforms simple ingredients into something extraordinary. What sets this salad apart is the unexpected combination of tangy artichoke hearts, sweet pimentos, sharp red onions, and nutty Parmesan cheese, all brought together with a signature red wine vinaigrette.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The genius of this salad lies in its perfect balance of flavors and textures. The combination of crisp iceberg and tender romaine lettuce provides the ideal foundation, while the artichoke hearts add an earthy, Mediterranean flavor that’s completely unexpected in a typical restaurant salad. The pimentos contribute a subtle sweetness and pop of color, while the sharp red onions provide bite, and the Parmesan adds rich, nutty depth.
What Makes This Salad So Special
Unlike typical salads that rely on common vegetables, this recipe incorporates unique ingredients that create a sophisticated flavor profile. The artichoke hearts and pimentos are the stars that make this salad instantly recognizable as a Pasta House Company original. These ingredients, combined with the house-made red wine vinaigrette, create a dining experience that’s both familiar and exciting.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Salad:
- Iceberg lettuce – Provides crisp texture and refreshing crunch
- Romaine lettuce – Adds structure and a slightly bitter contrast
- Red onion – Contributes a sharp bite and beautiful color
- Pimentos – Add sweet, mild pepper flavor and vibrant red color
- Artichoke hearts – Provide earthy, tangy Mediterranean flavor
- Parmesan cheese – Adds nutty richness and authentic Italian touch
For the Red Wine Vinaigrette:
- Vegetable oil – Forms a neutral base for the dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil – Adds fruity flavor and authentic Mediterranean taste
- Red wine vinegar – Provides tangy acidity that brightens all flavors
- Salt – Enhances all ingredients and balances the acidity
- Black pepper – Adds subtle heat and aromatic complexity
How to Make Pasta House Company Salad
- Place both types of lettuce in a large salad bowl or on a plate.
- Top with red onion, pimentos, artichoke hearts, and parmesan cheese.
- Combine vegetable oil, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
The dressing is a simple and amazing vinaigrette that makes this Pasta House salad really stand out.
Recipe Tips
- This salad calls for both Iceberg and Romaine lettuce to give it a nice variety. Keeping the lettuce in larger chunks is what gives this salad its appeal.
- Wait to add the dressing until just before serving. This will keep the lettuce from wilting.
- Make sure to drain both the artichoke hearts and the pimentos thoroughly to prevent a soggy salad.
Recipe Variations
Don’t be afraid to add fruit, fat, or even something with a crunch.
- If you want something more filling, you can include protein sources such as shredded chicken, salami, or tofu, which pair well with the other ingredients in the salad.
- Use different cheeses: Feta cheese will transform it from an Italian to a Greek salad.
- Add more veggies. Sliced cucumbers, black olives, tomato, and bell peppers are all great ones.
- Make it dairy-free. If you follow a vegan diet or are unable to consume dairy, you can omit the parmesan or simply substitute it with a dairy-free cheese alternative.
- Use caramelized onions. Instead of red onions, you can use caramelized yellow onions, which add a slight sweetness to the dish and offset the vinegar-based dressing.
What to Serve This Salad With
You can never go wrong with a soup and salad combo. Try pairing this dish with Minestrone for an entirely vegetarian meal. Or, enjoy it with other soups such as chicken bisque or hamburger soup.
If you’re a real fan of the Pasta House Co., making a copycat fettuccine Alfredo is undoubtedly the way to go. The creamy sauce creates a nice balance against the tangy salad and will surely leave you feeling satiated!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store salad components separately in airtight containers for up to 5 days. Keep dressing in a mason jar for up to 2 weeks.
- Reheating Method: This is a cold salad that doesn’t require reheating. Bring refrigerated components to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
- Freezing: Not recommended, as lettuce and other fresh vegetables don’t freeze well.
Love The Pasta House Company? Try these copycat recipes!
Favorite Salad Recipes
- Applebees Oriental Chicken Salad
- Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
- Green Goddess Salad
- Brussel Sprouts and Kale Salad
- Wendy’s Strawberry Chicken Salad
- Fettuccine Salad
- Olive Garden Salad
- Green Jacket Salad
- Brown Derby Cobb Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
Be sure to check out more of my easy salad recipes and the best Italian restaurant copycat recipes.
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Pasta House Company Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 head romaine lettuce
- 1 small red onion (thinly sliced–use smallest food processor blade
- 1/2 ounces diced pimentos (diced and drained)
- 6 ounces can artichoke hearts (drained and crumbled into fourths)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (buy fresh and grate yourself!)
Salad Dressing
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Break the head of iceberg lettuce into quarters, and separate the leaves. Break the romaine lettuce into thirds.
- In a large bowl, combine iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, sliced onions, pimentos, artichoke hearts, and grated parmesan.
- Toss and chill.
Salad Dressing Preparation
- In a small bowl combine vegetable oil, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Whisk the salad dressing well. Pour salad dressing over chilled salad, and serve.
Notes
- This salad calls for both Iceberg and Romaine lettuce to give it a nice variety. Keeping the lettuce in larger chunks is what provides this salad with its appeal.
- Wait to add the dressing until just before serving. This will keep the lettuce from wilting.
- Make sure to drain both the artichoke hearts and the pimentos thoroughly to prevent a soggy salad.
Hmm… I have made this before but my recipe calls for parmesan grated in the salad and in the dressing, so I was missing that in this recipe. We also add a pinch of sugar in our dressing to take that “sour-bitter” taste down. This is close..but no cigar. Thank you for sharing, however.
PS The stars wouldn’t light up for me-kept going away.
Thanks for letting me know. This recipe is about 20 years ago, it is definitely possible the recipe changed over time.
How do you make the red onions? They taste like they are marinated.
You can marinate them in white vinegar with a bit of sugar.
Can you copy cat “pasta house cream mushroom soup”
I need to try it first 😉