Salada Rodizio Recipe

Prepare lettuce and greens

Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine and mixed baby greens. Roughly chop the romaine into bite-sized pieces and combine with the baby greens in a large salad bowl; chill in the refrigerator while you prepare other components if desired.

Prepare vegetables and eggs

Halve the cherry tomatoes. Slice the heirloom tomato into wedges or 1/4-inch slices. Thinly slice the red onion into rings and soak in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the bite, then drain and pat dry. Peel and quarter the hard-cooked eggs. Slice the avocado just before assembly and toss gently with a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt to slow browning.

Add crunchy and herb elements

Toss the croutons and chopped fresh parsley with the mixed greens just before dressing to preserve crunch. Reserve some bacon for garnish if desired; otherwise fold the chopped bacon into the salad base.

If the roast beef and grilled chicken are not pre-sliced, slice them thinly against the grain (for beef) and across the grain (for chicken) into 1/8- to 1/4-inch strips. Warm briefly on a hot skillet or under a broiler for 1–2 minutes per side if you prefer warm protein; otherwise serve at room temperature. Arrange the three proteins (roast beef, chicken, salami) on a serving platter or fan them over one side of the salad so diners can take rodizio-style portions.

Make the dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine ketchup, extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, honey, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously or shake in a closed jar until emulsified and smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon of water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach a pourable vinaigrette consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning (add more salt, vinegar, or honey as needed).

Optional warm-smoke step

For a deeper smoky bacon/rodizio character, warm 1 tablespoon of bacon fat (reserved from cooking bacon) and whisk it into the dressing just before serving. Use only if desired and available.

Dress the greens: Drizzle about two-thirds of the dressing evenly over the chilled salad greens and gently toss with salad tongs until leaves are evenly coated. Add additional dressing to taste; reserve some dressing for guests who want extra.

Plate the salad: Mound the dressed greens on a large platter or divide among 4 individual plates. Arrange the cherry tomato halves, heirloom tomato slices, avocado slices, red onion rings, and quartered eggs attractively around and atop the greens. Fan the warm/cold protein slices (roast beef, grilled chicken, salami) in sections around the salad to emulate a rodizio presentation.

Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the chopped bacon pieces, croutons, chopped parsley, and optional shaved Parmesan over the top. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if using. Serve immediately with remaining dressing on the side so diners can add more.