La scala salad

La Scala salad: why it’s gone viral on TikTok

The famous La Scala chopped salad hails from a restaurant of the same name in Los Angeles. The Kardashians are said to love going there for this chopped salad, which has been around since the 1950s. And because the famous family has shone a spotlight on it, of course, the salad has made its rounds on social media, namely TikTok. The viral recipe is inspired by Italian flavours, and it’s understandable why it is a favourite. It’s dressed with the famous La Scala salad dressing, a tangy mustard vinaigrette, but at the same time has nutty and buttery flavours from the marinated chickpeas. It also has pockets of bright saltiness from salami and cheese and takes just 10 minutes to put together before it’s ready to be served. For other restaurant-quality salads, check out these recipes for Michael Weldon’s tomato and peach panzanella salad and Jessica Nguyen’s mixed pea and ricotta salad.

Tips on how to prepare the ingredients for this famous salad

With a minimal number of ingredients, you can taste each component, so make them the best quality you can find for this La Scala salad recipe. Chop the ingredients into similar, bite-size pieces so the dressing is dispersed evenly throughout and the salad is easy to eat. Speaking of dressing, don’t pour all the dressing over the salad on the first go. Pour half first, taste it, and add more as needed – you don’t want a soggy salad. If you prefer a milder dressing, you can decrease the sourness of the dressing by replacing some of the lemon juice with red wine vinegar. 

Chickpeas are also a highlight of this dish, so to make them shine, soak them in a small amount of the dressing after you’ve rinsed and drained them – 30 minutes should do the trick. You can add chilli flakes or another dried herb like oregano to the chickpea marinade. When it comes to salad extras like cheese, use parmesan for a nuttier and sweeter flavour, or pecorino Romano for a creamier yet tangier taste. 

Can you make this original La Scala chopped salad recipe in advance?

You may want to prepare the salad ahead of time for a BBQ, long lunch or dinner party. To do so, make the dressing and chop up all the salad ingredients. Store the dressing, cold veggies, chickpeas and salami separately in airtight containers. You can store all these separate components in the fridge for up to 2 days. This winning restaurant salad is so easy to recreate, that you won’t have to travel anywhere to taste its goodness for yourself. 

Looking for more ideas and inspiration? Why not try another American classic, the Cobb salad, and check out our collection of easy salad recipes.