This meal-worthy Italian Chopped Salad is loaded with fresh veggies, salty salami and olives, and two kinds of cheese. It’s tossed in a homemade vinaigrette dressing and topped with fresh basil for a bold combination of flavors and textures. Enjoy this loaded salad as a complete meal or a fresh and hearty side dish.
Personal Note
There’s nothing I love more than a big hearty salad with ALL the toppings. An Italian chopped salad has everything you’d find in an Italian pizzeria-style sandwich chopped into bite-sized pieces, making it one of the most hearty and flavorful salads in my rotation.
This salad is fresh, packed with protein, and lasts in the fridge for up to 3 days. So, it’s perfect as a complete meal-prep lunch. I like to keep the Italian sandwich vibe and enjoy it with homemade garlic bread on the side.
When I want an extra hearty dinner, I’ll serve it as a side salad with an Italian-inspired main dish, like baked chicken parmesan. My family and I also love to serve it with yogurt marinated chicken breast, salmon in the oven or carne asada. Any way you serve it, this Italian chopped salad will be the star of the meal.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Lettuce & Radicchio — I always love making this salad with a mix of romaine lettuce and radicchio. They’re both super crunchy, and the radicchio adds a little bite. You can use whatever mix of greens you like or have on hand, but “sturdy” greens like romaine or iceberg lettuce work better than delicate leaves like butter lettuce or spinach.
Fresh veggies — I aim to have a mix of rainbow colors in a big salad: red cherry tomatoes, yellow pepperoncinis and bell peppers, green cucumber, and purple onions. Feel free to substitute or add your favorite veggies to the salad.
Cheese — I’m using creamy mozzarella pearls and shaved parmesan for the mix of flavors and textures. I’ve made this recipe with also cheddar cheese, spicy pepper jack, provolone cheese, blue cheese, and feta cheese before. You really can’t go wrong with the cheese here.
Briny olives — This one’s a non-negotiable for me—the more olives, the better! I’ve tested this recipe with both green and Kalamata olives, and they work equally well. If you’re not big on olives, you can easily swap them out for capers, chopped pickles, giardiniera (pickled vegetables), or even extra pickled onions.
Deli Meat — Anything you’d enjoy on an Italian sandwich works well in this chopped salad—especially salty meats like ham, prosciutto, or pepperoni.
Homemade vinaigrette – The dressing I’m making today combines olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh garlic, Dijon mustard, and oregano. Of course, you can switch things up to suit your taste, like using lemon juice instead of vinegar or adding a honey.
How To Assemble An Italian Chopped Salad
First: Make the salad dressing and set it aside to let the flavors build. You can whisk the dressing in a small bowl, or add the ingredients to a mason jar and shake.
Then: Mix the chopped romaine and radicchio in the bottom of your large bowl as the base. On top of that, add all the veggies, cheese, and olives your heart desires.
Next: For the final layer, spread the sliced salami and pickled onions on top. Now’s a good time to adjust or add any other ingredients to make your perfect salad.
Finally: Use a set of tongs or a couple of large spoons to gently toss the dressing into the salad until everything is coated well. Garnish with fresh herbs, and enjoy!
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
When I have time, I prefer to make the salad dressing in advance. Even if it’s just a couple of hours, the extra time really helps the flavors infuse the olive oil.
Use your good olive oil for the dressing. Since it’s the base of our dressing, the flavors really shine through, so I like to use a fresh, good-quality olive oil.
For the best Italian chopped salad experience, chop and slice everything into small, bite-sized pieces. This way, you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
More Salads To Try
Italian Chopped Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients:
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 romaine heart chopped (about 4 cups)
- 1 small head radicchio cored and chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large yellow bell pepper chopped
- ¼ red onion chopped
- 10 pepperoncini thinly sliced
- ½ English cucumber diced
- 12 oz mini mozzarella balls drained and halved
- 1 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup pitted black olives halved
- ¼ cup pitted green olives chopped
- 6 oz salami cut into matchsticks
- ½ cup pickled red onions
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large serving bowl, add the chopped romaine and radicchio. Toss to combine. Then, add the cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, red onion, pepperoncini, cucumber, mozzarella balls, shaved Parmesan, black olives, and green olives to the greens.
- Scatter the sliced salami and pickled red onions over the salad.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is well coated.
- Top with fresh basil and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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