I always think of a cobb salad as a salad for people who aren’t big fans of salads. Yes, there are some traditional salad ingredients, such as lettuce, tomatoes and cheese, but there are also some more exciting ingredients that help to bring more fans in…
Todays salad puts an italian twist on a classic cobb with thick sliced pepperoni, black olives, garbanzo beans, fresh mozzarella and spicy pepperoncini all dressed in a creamy, herby italian dressing that you will love.
If this italian cobb salad sounds like something you’d be interested in then let’s get it started…
This salad works for everything from lunch to a main course and is also a wonderful appetizer. This recipe makes 2 hearty meal sized salads or 4 side or appetizer size salads.
Begin by gathering a small head of romaine lettuce, about 2 ounces of baby arugula, 2 ounces of fresh mozzarella, 1/2 cup of cherry or cocktail tomatoes, 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans, 1/2 cup of salami or pepperoni, 1/4 cup of pepperoncini, 1/4 cup of red onion, 1/4 cup of black olives, some croutons and about 1/4 cup of italian dressing.
Begin by thinly slicing your romaine lettuce and adding it into a large bowl. I like to dress romaine lightly in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper before assembling the salad. If you start with properly seasoned greens, the entire salad will be better for it and you will need to add less dressing in the end.
Next, slice up your pepperoni, pepperoncini, red onions, tomatoes and olives and add them into the bowl.
Add the arugula, mozzarella, garbanzo beans and croutons (I am using my ciabatta croutons and would love for you to try them!) and give everything a good toss.
For the dressing, I am completely obsessed with my slightly creamy classic italian dressing. It is the perfect pairing for this salad with loads of herby, salty, parmesan filled vibes. You’re going to love this dressing…
I had a little extra freshly shredded parmesan from when I made my dressing, so I tossed it over the salad right before I dug in…
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… I definitely added more to my salad… I love those little peppers!
The crispy little ciabatta croutons and that delicious dressing brings everything together perfectly.
This salad is colorful, flavorful and something that you could serve for anything from the salad course at a dinner party to a weekend lunch or even as a main course. Its filling, satisfying, full of flavor and absolutely delicious.
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!
