Description
This Best Italian Chopped Salad Recipe is a vibrant and flavorful mix of fresh vegetables, cheeses, and meats tossed in a tangy homemade vinaigrette. Perfect for a quick and satisfying lunch or as a colorful side dish, it combines crisp Romaine, radicchio, tomatoes, olives, and salami with sharp Parmesan and creamy provolone, all balanced with a zesty red wine vinaigrette. The salad comes together in just 15 minutes and serves six, making it ideal for busy days or entertaining.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup chopped radicchio
- 1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped Persian cucumber or English cucumber
- ½ cup chopped orange or red bell pepper
- ½ cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup chopped black olives, Kalamata or Gaeta
- ¼ cup chopped green olives, Castelvetrano or Cerignola
- ¼ cup pepperoncini, diced
- ½ cup cubed provolone cheese or mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shaved parmigiano cheese
- ½ cup cubed Italian salami, dry or pepperoni
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar with a lid, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the chopped Romaine, radicchio, iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, bell peppers, garbanzo beans, black olives, green olives, pepperoncini, provolone or mozzarella cheese, parmigiano cheese, salami or pepperoni, and fresh basil.
- Add dressing: Drizzle about half of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss everything together to coat evenly. Add more vinaigrette as needed to reach your desired level of dressing.
- Toss salad thoroughly: Continue tossing the salad until all ingredients are well coated with vinaigrette and the flavors are evenly distributed.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste the salad and add additional salt and black pepper if desired to enhance the flavors.
- Serve: Serve immediately as a main course or side dish, paired optionally with fresh Italian bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- Fresh Ingredients: Use the freshest vegetables, cheese, and meats to maximize flavor and texture.
- Chop Uniformly: Cut all salad components into uniform bite-sized pieces for balanced texture in every forkful.
- Keep It Cold: Store ingredients chilled before assembly and serve the salad cold for best taste.
- Dressing on the Side: To prevent sogginess when serving later or to guests, offer vinaigrette separately.
- Customize to Taste: Feel free to add or omit ingredients to accommodate dietary preferences or to use what you have on hand.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
