Best Italian Chopped Salad Recipe
Classic Italian Chopped Salad Recipe- is a delicious and colorful Italian-American dish that combines a variety of fresh vegetables, Italian deli meats, cheeses, and a tangy vinaigrette dressing. It's easy to make and one the best salads for any occasion.
Servings: 4 -6 servings
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
- Start by making 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 the vinaigrette aside to let the flavors meld.
- In a large salad bowl, combine 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 basil.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. Start with about half of it and toss everything together. Add more vinaigrette as needed to achieve your desired level of dressing.
- Toss the salad until all the ingredients are well coated with the vinaigrette, and the flavors are nicely distributed.
- Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Serve your Italian Chopped Salad immediately as a main course or side dish. It's delicious on its own or with a fresh Italian bread plate.
- Feel free to customize this recipe by adding or omitting ingredients to suit your taste. You can also adjust the quantity of the vinaigrette to your preference. Enjoy your classic Italian Chopped Salad!
Notes
- Fresh Ingredients: Use the freshest ingredients available, as the quality of your vegetables, cheese, and meats greatly influences the taste of the salad.
- Chop Uniformly: Ensure all the salad components are chopped into uniform bite-sizes for a balanced texture and flavor in each bite.
- Keep It Cold: Store the salad components in the refrigerator before assembling, and serve it chilled for the best taste and texture.
- Dressing on the Side: If you’re making the salad ahead or serving it to a large group, offer the dressing on the side so guests can dress their salad to their liking and prevent it from becoming too soggy.
- Customize to Taste: Don’t hesitate to customize the salad with your favorite ingredients or make substitutions based on dietary preferences or what’s in your kitchen.
Nutrition
Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 934mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5396IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 339mg | Iron: 3mg
