Description
Looking for a delicious and healthy meal? Try this flavorful Italian Chopped Salad recipe today! Discover a tasty and nutritious option for your next meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large heads romaine lettuce (about 8 cups), finely chopped
- 1 small head radicchio (about 2 cups), finely chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 oz provolone cheese, diced into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
- 4 oz salami, diced into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
- 4 oz pepperoni, diced into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Dressing In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard until well combined. Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes if using. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk vigorously until emulsified. Set aside to allow flavors to meld while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Step 2: Prep the Vegetables Thoroughly wash all produce, then pat dry with paper towels. Proper drying prevents a watery salad and helps the dressing adhere better. Chop the romaine and radicchio into bite-sized pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, and dice the cucumber and bell pepper. Thinly slice the red onion and place in a small bowl of ice water for 5-10 minutes to reduce its sharpness, then drain thoroughly.
- Step 3: Prepare Proteins and Cheese Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then pat dry with paper towels. Dice the provolone cheese, salami, and pepperoni into uniform 1/4-inch pieces. Halve the kalamata olives and set aside.
- Step 4: Assemble the Base In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped romaine and radicchio. Toss gently to create an evenly distributed base. This creates the foundation of your **Italian Chopped Salad**.
- Step 5: Layer Remaining Ingredients Add the prepared vegetables (tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion) over the lettuce base. Next, add the chickpeas, provolone, salami, pepperoni, and olives. Sprinkle with the fresh basil and parsley.
- Step 6: Dress and Serve Just before serving, give your dressing a final whisk, then drizzle about two-thirds of it over the salad. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and add more dressing if desired, along with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately for maximum freshness and crunch.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg