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Italian Chopped Salad

Italian Chopped Salad

This Italian Chopped Salad is a vibrant, crunchy, flavor-packed bowl loaded with fresh veggies, crisp lettuce, tangy salami, pepperoni, chickpeas, mozzarella, and a zesty homemade Italian dressing. It tastes like an Italian sub salad, making it perfect for healthy lunch ideas, meal prep, or quick healthy snacks. If you love the bold flavors of Italian deli classics, this will instantly become one of your best salad recipes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For the Salad:
  • 1 large head romaine lettuce chopped
  • 1 cup radicchio or iceberg chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup cucumber diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • ½ small red onion finely diced
  • 1 cup chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup pepperoncini peppers sliced
  • 1 cup mozzarella pearls or diced provolone
  • ½ cup salami chopped
  • ½ cup pepperoni slices chopped
  • ¼ cup black olives or kalamata sliced
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
  • For the Italian Dressing:
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • Salt & black pepper to taste
  • Optional: ½ tsp sugar or honey to balance acidity

Method
 

  1. Prep the greens
  2. Chop romaine and radicchio (or iceberg) into small, bite-sized pieces. Add them to a large mixing bowl.
  3. Chop the veggies
  4. Dice the cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, and red onion. Add them to the bowl.
  5. Add proteins + extras
  6. Mix in chickpeas, pepperoncini, olives, mozzarella, salami, and pepperoni. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
  7. Make the dressing
  8. In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, , Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, basil, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Shake well until emulsified.
  9. Combine
  10. Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss thoroughly to make sure every ingredient is coated.
  11. Serve
  12. Enjoy immediately, or chill for 10 minutes to enhance the flavors.

Notes

Make it lighter: Swap salami/pepperoni for grilled chicken or turkey for a healthier option.
Vegetarian version: Remove meats and add more chickpeas or white beans.
Meal prep: Store the salad undressed for up to 3 days; add dressing right before eating.
Add crunch: Croutons or crispy chickpeas make a great topping.
Sub variations: To make it a true chopped Italian sub salad, add chopped banana peppers and provolone cheese.