This delicious and easy Italian chopped salad recipe is packed with flavor! Loaded with chopped lettuce, bell peppers, onions, olives, cucumber and Italian meats. Then it get’s tossed in an Easy Homemade Italian dressing! It’s a healthy, filling, and satisfying meal to make on days you’re craving something light and flavorful.
Love easy salad recipes? Then you need to try my Mexican salmon salad and my Southwest chicken salad!
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Italian Chopped Salad
Sometimes, you just need a good, hearty salad. And this is the perfect easy salad recipe to make when that craving strikes!
Loaded with crisp, crunchy lettuce, fresh veggies, and chopped cured meats, this homemade Italian salad is colorful, healthy, and satisfying.
What really makes this salad so good is the homemade Italian dressing. It’s made with wholesome ingredients you likely always have on-hand, like olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
I do use a smidge of granulated sugar in this homemade Italian vinaigrette, but you could omit it entirely to make it Whole30-friendly. You could also use honey or pure maple syrup.
What you’ll need:
- Leafy Greens: I like to use romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce for this homemade Italian chopped salad, but you can use any greens you prefer. Arugula, baby kale, baby spinach, leafy green lettuce, or a spring mix would also work well.
- Chopped Veggies: I love amping up my homemade salads with lots of freshly chopped veggies. For this Italian chopped salad, I used cucumber, tomatoes, yellow bell peppers, black olives, red onion, and banana peppers.
- Cured Meat: You can’t have an Italian salad without some chopped, salty, cured meat! I used a mix of salami and hot capicola, but pepperoni or prosciutto would also work well.
Optional: Top this salad with homemade croutons! They add a nice crunch to the salad!
How To Make Italian Dressing
This homemade Italian vinaigrette could not be easier to make. Simply add all of the ingredients for it (listed in the recipe card below) to a small bowl or mason jar, and whisk to aerate and combine. Set aside until it’s time to serve.
How To Make An Italian Chopped Salad
Add all of the Italian chopped salad ingredients to a large bowl. Drizzle in homemade Italian dressing, and toss to combine. I usually start with about 1/8 cup of the dressing and add more as needed. You don’t want to add too much, or else it will cause the lettuce to wilt.
Tips and Variations
- Add more veggies or swap some of the existing ingredients for others like chopped sun-dried tomatoes, green olives, sliced mushrooms, chopped avocado, or white onion.
- Add more cheese! Along with the parmesan cheese chopped provolone, mozzarella, pepper jack or cheddar can also be added.
- Mix in some raw or toasted cashew halves, sliced almonds, or pistachios for some crunch!
- Or add some dried cranberries or golden raisins for pops of sweetness.
- Make it more filling with more meat like grilled chicken or salmon!
Storage Instructions
This salad and dressing can be made ahead of time and stored separately before serving. Prepare the salad as far in advance as overnight, and make the dressing and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
What to serve with Italian Chopped Salad
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Chicken Parmesan
- Grilled Chicken Caprese
- Vegetarian Lasagna
- Best Meatball Recipe
- Stuffed Shells
- Garlic Pasta
- Tuscan Salmon
- Tortellini Alfredo
- Homemade Calzones
More Easy Salad Recipes To Try
- Greek Kale Quinoa Salad
- Mexican Salmon Salad
- Blackened Shrimp Salad
- Chicken Cobb Salad
- Japanese Cucumber Salad
- Homemade Pea Salad
Italian Chopped Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1/3 cup black olives, sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup italian meats, chopped, I used salami and hot capicola
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
- parmesan cheese for serving, if desired
Homemade Italian Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Salad
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl.Drizzle in homemade Italian dressing and toss to combine. I usually start with about 1/8 cup of the dressing and add more as needed.
Homemade Italian Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a small mason jar and shake to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your liking. Refrigerate dressing for up to 2 weeks. Shake well before each use.
Nutrition Information
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Laura
This salad was so good!! Served it with your air fryer salmon!!