This Italian Chopped Salad is brimming with mozzarella, salami, peppers, tomatoes, and olives, plus a zesty lemon herb vinaigrette! This is one of my all-time favorite salads and it’s an easy go-to on busy weeknights. It’s equal parts hearty and full of flavor, while still feeling light and fresh!
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Finally, a Salad That’s Filling Enough to Serve as a Main Dish!
I love a salad for dinner, but I’m only into hearty, interesting ones with lots of texture and flavor. If you think that a salad for dinner won’t be filling or satisfying enough, I urge you to give this Italian salad with salami and mozzarella a try!
You can load up the salad with as many toppings as you want. The combination of bold flavors and texture really leaves you feeling sated. The blend of romaine and radicchio along with so many flavorful toppings is what makes this chopped salad truly special.
This recipe is so EASY to throw together any night of the week! While it requires a bit of chopping, this salad can easily be made in advance and only takes about 20 minutes to throw together.
It’s a truly impressive salad that is so easy to adapt to your tastes. You only need a handful of ingredients and can make substitutions for most ingredients. You could also bulk this salad up with some grilled lemon chicken to really make it a whole meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities, and method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Greens. I used a mix of romaine and radicchio for this recipe for crunch and flavor.
- Cheese. More cheese is better, right? I used a blend of chopped up provolone, mini mozzarella balls, and finely grated parmesan.
- Salami. Thinly sliced salami adds great flavor and texture. Use your favorite here! I went with spicy soppressata.
- Veggies. Red onion, cherry tomatoes, and chopped cucumber add flavor and crunch.
- Pickled peppers. I went with pickled teardrop peppers for some sweet heat and pepperoncini. Pick your favorites!
- Olives. Kalamata and green olives work great.
- Fresh basil. Torn fresh basil leaves add lots of fresh flavor to the salad.
- Dressing. This lemon herb vinaigrette is so easy to mix up! I love having it on hand for salads, but you can use any vinaigrette you like, store-bought or homemade.
Tools Needed
How to Make an Italian Chopped Salad
- Make the dressing. I like to use an immersion blender here, but a mason jar is the easiest way to mix the dressing and also store it. You can also shake up the dressing in the jar if you don’t have an immersion blender.
- Assemble the salad. Chop all your veggies up! Shred the romaine and radicchio into bite sized pieces. Then, chop the tomatoes and cucumber, slice the onions, and get the toppings together.
- Add the dressing and toss. Mix your greens with chopped veggies and other ingredients and then toss with dressing.
Other Mix-Ins You Can Add
Consider this chopped salad a blank canvas for whatever Italian-inspired meats, cheeses, and veggies you have in the fridge!
- Add arugula for a peppery flavor or iceberg lettuce for crunch.
- Replace the salami with prosciutto, bresaola, crispy pancetta, or omit to keep the salad vegetarian.
- Add chickpeas or cannelini beans for bulk.
- Replace the mozzarella balls with low-moisture mozzarella that’s been cut into small cubes.
- Omit the olives entirely or replace with capers.
- Use fresh oregano instead of basil.
- Add hard-boiled eggs for texture and protein.
What to Serve with Your Salad
This Italian salad is a versatile side dish that you can enjoy all year long. Some of my favorite recipes to enjoy with it include:
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Italian Salad Recipes You’ll Love
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Italian Chopped Salad
Ingredients
Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt
- pepper
Italian Chopped Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce, finely chopped
- 1/2 head radicchio, thinly shredded
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup chopped English cucumber
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 oz Italian salami, cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup sliced kalamata or green olives
- 1/2 cup pickled teardrop peppers
- 1 cup mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- 2 oz provolone cheese, diced
- fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Combine the dressing ingredients in mason jar. Use an immersion blender to blend the dressing until smooth and emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Assemble. Toss all the salad ingredients together and toss with as much dressing as desired.
Storage Instructions
- Once assembled and dressed, this salad is best eaten within a few hours of serving. However, the deconstructed elements of this salad may be stored separately in airtight containers for 4-6 days in the fridge.You can make the dressing ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Â It can also be doubled or tripled to make extra.Â
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