Italian Chopped Salad with Dressing (Printable)
Vibrant Italian salad with fresh vegetables, salami, and cheese in zesty homemade dressing
# What You Need:
→ 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 It:
01 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and honey until well combined. Set aside.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, olives, pepperoncini, mozzarella, Parmesan, and salami.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The homemade dressing takes literally two minutes and tastes better than anything store bought
- Everything stays crunchy and fresh even after sitting in the fridge for a day
02 -
- Don't dress the salad until you're literally ready to eat or it gets sad and wilted within an hour
- Double the dressing and keep it in a jar for the rest of the week it gets better every day
03 -
- Toast some pine nuts or walnuts and sprinkle them on top for extra crunch
- Let the dressing sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using