Description
This vibrant Italian Chopped Salad combines crisp romaine and radicchio with fresh mozzarella, savory salami, and a variety of fresh vegetables, all tossed in a zesty homemade red wine vinaigrette. Perfect for a quick, satisfying meal or a colorful side dish, this salad is packed with textures and bold flavors that celebrate Mediterranean ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup chopped radicchio lettuce
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella (cut into 1/4-inch cubes)
- 4 ounces dry Italian salami (cut into matchsticks)
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives (rinsed and drained)
- 1 yellow bell pepper (diced)
- 1/2 English cucumber (diced)
- 6 pepperoncini (sliced)
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the salad base: In a large bowl, place the roughly chopped romaine lettuce and chopped radicchio. Layer on the fresh mozzarella cubes, salami matchsticks, rinsed chickpeas, sliced black olives, diced yellow bell pepper, diced English cucumber, sliced pepperoncini, halved grape tomatoes, and chopped red onion, creating a colorful medley of ingredients.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes until emulsified. Season the dressing with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper according to your taste preferences.
- Toss the salad: Pour the prepared dressing evenly over the salad ingredients in the large bowl. Gently toss everything together to ensure all components are well coated without bruising the greens or breaking the cheese cubes.
- Finish and serve: Sprinkle the shaved Parmesan over the top of the dressed salad as a final garnish. Serve immediately for best freshness and texture.
Notes
- This salad is best served fresh but can be stored separately from the dressing for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- Using fresh mozzarella adds a creamy texture; for a different flavor, consider burrata or feta cheese.
- Adjust the amount of pepperoncini and red pepper flakes to control the salad’s spice level.
- For a homemade twist, replace canned chickpeas with freshly cooked ones, if time allows.
- Adding toasted pine nuts or walnuts provides a delightful crunch variation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Italian salad, chopped salad, mozzarella salad, healthy Italian salad, easy Mediterranean salad, summer salad
