Italian Chopped Salad with Dressing (Printable)

Vibrant salad with fresh vegetables, salami, cheese, olives, and zesty homemade dressing

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad Components

01 - 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
06 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
07 - 1/2 cup pepperoncini, sliced
08 - 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
09 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
10 - 3.5 oz Genoa salami, cut into thin strips

→ Homemade Italian Dressing

11 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
13 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 tsp dried oregano
16 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
17 - 1/2 tsp salt
18 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
19 - 1/2 tsp honey

# How to Make:

01 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and honey in a small bowl until emulsified. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
02 - Combine Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, olives, pepperoncini, mozzarella, Parmesan, and salami in a large salad bowl.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its the kind of salad that actually fills you up without making you feel heavy afterward
  • The homemade dressing takes two minutes and tastes infinitely better than anything bottled
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it together when guests walk through the door
02 -
  • The dressing will keep for a week in the fridge but bring it to room temperature before using or it will congeal
  • Toast some crusty bread to serve alongside because everyone will want something to soak up that extra dressing at the bottom
  • This salad sits beautifully for about an hour but the lettuce will start to collapse after that
03 -
  • Pat your lettuce dry with paper towels before chopping, wet dressing is the enemy of good salad
  • Taste your dressing before pouring it in, some vinegars are more acidic than others and might need adjustment

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