Classic Iceberg Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Remove any wilted outer leaves from the iceberg. Quarter the head through the core, then cut out the core. Chop the quarters into bite-sized pieces (roughly 1" pieces). Place chopped lettuce into a large salad bowl and chill briefly while preparing other components if desired (5–10 minutes).

Prepare tomatoes

Wash the vine ripe tomatoes. Remove the stems and dice into approximately 1/2" pieces. If tomatoes are very juicy, gently scoop out excess seeds before dicing to avoid watering down the salad. Add diced tomatoes to the bowl with the lettuce.

Prepare onion

Peel the red onion and slice in half pole-to-pole. Thinly slice one half, then chop those slices into small half-moons. Measure 1/4 cup chopped red onion and add to the salad bowl with lettuce and tomatoes.

Chop basil

Stack the basil leaves, roll into a loose cigar (chiffonade method), then thinly slice across the roll. Roughly chop the slices to give small ribbons. You should have about 2–3 tablespoons of chopped basil (approximately 8 leaves). Reserve a few whole leaves for garnish if desired.

Make dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously (or shake if using a jar) until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning — add up to 1/4 tsp more salt or 1/2 tbs more balsamic if you prefer a tangier dressing.

Dress the salad

Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the lettuce, tomatoes, and onion. Add the chopped basil. Toss gently but thoroughly with salad tongs (or clean hands) until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add more dressing from the reserved amount if needed.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (or Pecorino) evenly over the tossed salad. Finish with the remaining dressing if the salad seems dry. Optionally garnish with a few whole basil leaves and a light additional crack of black pepper. Serve immediately so the lettuce stays crisp.