Italian Antipasti Chopped Salad (Printable)
Fresh Italian chopped salad with antipasti ingredients and tangy dressing
# What You Need:
→ Salad Components
01 - 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
02 - 1 cup radicchio, chopped
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
05 - 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, diced
06 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
09 - 1/2 cup mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
10 - 1/3 cup salami, sliced into strips
11 - 1/4 cup pepperoncini, sliced
12 - 1/4 cup provolone cheese, cubed
→ Dressing
13 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
17 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
18 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
19 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
# Steps:
01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, radicchio, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, cucumber, red onion, olives, mozzarella, salami, pepperoncini, and provolone cheese.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, garlic, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients. Serve immediately, garnished with extra oregano or fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of tangy pepperoncini, salty salami, and creamy mozzarella hits every single craving in one bite
- Its like eating at an Italian restaurant without the three hour commitment or the check at the end
02 -
- The salad needs to be dressed right before serving because the salt in the ingredients will draw water out of the vegetables if it sits too long
- Room temperature ingredients taste better in this than cold ones straight from the fridge, so let everything sit out for 15 minutes before assembling
03 -
- Use your hands to toss the salad instead of utensils so you can feel when everything is evenly coated without overdoing it
- Let the dressed salad sit for just five minutes before serving to let the flavors start mingling, but no longer or it gets sad