Italian Chopped Salad
This vibrant Italian Chopped Salad features crisp romaine and radicchio tossed with fresh mozzarella pearls, savory salami, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, and Kalamata olives, all brought together with a tangy homemade red wine vinaigrette. Perfect for quick lunches, light dinners, or meal prepping ahead for the week.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil use high-quality oil since you will taste it in the vinaigrette
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Grey Poupon or grainy mustard work well
- 1 small garlic clove finely grated, or about ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- Honey optional, to taste for balancing acidity
- 2 heads romaine lettuce chopped fine, about 12 to 14 cups, or two 12-ounce bags of pre-chopped romaine
- ½ head radicchio about 4 cups, or use a bagged blend with radicchio already included
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved if desired
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls drained, or dice a larger ball of mozzarella into bite-sized pieces
- 1 to 1½ cups salami sliced into bite-sized pieces or strips, or use prosciutto, mortadella, or your favorite hard salami
- ⅓ cup red onion finely diced and rinsed under cold water, then wrung dry in a paper towel
- ⅓ cup pepperoncini peppers sliced
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives sliced
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or as desired
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, or substitute or add fresh basil
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, finely grated garlic clove, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well blended.
- Add Vinegar: Pour in the red wine vinegar and stir to combine with the dry mixture for about 30 seconds.
- Whisk in Oil: Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify the vinaigrette, about 1 to 2 minutes. If desired, taste and add a touch of honey to balance the acidity.
- Prepare Lettuce: Chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl.
- Add Radicchio: Slice or dice the radicchio and add it to the bowl with the romaine.
- Prep Vegetables: Halve the cherry tomatoes if desired, dice the red onion and rinse under cold water, then wrap in a paper towel and squeeze gently to remove excess moisture, and slice the pepperoncini peppers and Kalamata olives.
- Add Vegetables: To the bowl of chopped romaine and radicchio, add the cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, sliced pepperoncini peppers, and sliced Kalamata olives.
- Layer the Proteins: Scatter the fresh mozzarella pearls and sliced salami evenly over the vegetables.
- Dress the Salad: Give the vinaigrette a final whisk to ensure it's well emulsified, then drizzle it over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are coated and evenly distributed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Garnish and Serve: Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley, then adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.