I am very excited to introduce you to my very favorite salad. It is a quick combination of so many flavorful elements with no cooking required and an incredibly flavorful creamy italian dressing. Everything is chopped up small and so delicious.
Let’s get started…
This salad comes together in less than 10 minutes and it stores nicely for a few days in the refrigerator, so it is an excellent salad to make for a few days lunches at a time.
Add some finely chopped greens and baby arugula into a large bowl and top with diced tomatoes, pepperoni, black olives, pepperoncini, red onions and fresh mozzarella. Give everything a good toss and add your croutons.
This slightly creamy, herby italian dressing is the perfect pairing for this chopped salad.
To make your own, simply combine 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup of very finely grated parmesan, 1 finely grated clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of celery salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes in a large bowl and whisk vigorously until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Drizzle your salad with some of that fabulous dressing and prepare to fall in love with a delicious and flavorful chopped salad full of the best italian flavors.
I really can’t decide which ingredient is my favorite in this salad. I think they all serve an important purpose in bringing this flavorful salad to life. The combination of romaine and arugula, crispy greens and peppery flavors, are a wonderful base for all of the other elements. The mozzarella and garbanzo beans add creaminess, the pepperoni adds some meatiness and spice, the olives are salty and the pepperoncini adds a kick that I am just a little obsessed with.
This salad really is my go-to and once you make it for yourself, you will know exactly why I have become so obsessed with the combination of these wonderful italian ingredients.
Buon appetito!
Italian Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- 1 small head of romaine lettuce, finely chopped
- 2 ounces of baby arugula
- 2 ounces of mozzarella, cubed
- 1/2 cup of tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans, rinsed
- 1/2 cup of salami or pepperoni, diced
- 1/2 cup of croutons
- 1/4 cup of pepperoncini, diced
- 1/4 cup of red onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of black olives, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup of italian dressing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients
- Drizzle with italian dressing and toss to combine
- Test to see if a pinch of salt or black pepper is necessary
- Enjoy!
