Italian Chopped Salad

We have experienced our warmest summer yet in Umbria this year and when the temperatures are reaching 100 degrees or more it is difficult to get motivated to turn on the oven, or even cook much of anything. I’ve made this salad a couple of times this summer for dinner on a few of those extra warm days but never got around to posting the recipe until now.

This salad is easily a complete meal in a bowl as the chickpeas, cheese, and salami add protein, while the vegetables add lots of crunchy texture. Although I’ve never seen a salad like this (chopped ingredients) in Italy, all the ingredients are indeed Italian so it certainly has an Italian flavor to it.

You can use many types of ingredients in this salad, but I will give you my version below to get you started. Feel free to replace any ingredients with ones you prefer as this is a salad that lends itself to many variations. I used a simple lemon vinaigrette in my version, but any Italian inspired vinaigrette would work just fine.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 

Italian Chopped Salad

Italian Chopped Salad

Yield: Serves 4 - 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

This salad is easily a complete meal in a bowl as the chickpeas, cheese, and salami add protein, while the vegetables add lots of crunchy texture.

Ingredients

  • 1 Head Romaine Lettuce
  • 1 Medium Head Radicchio Lettuce
  • 1 Small Red Onion, Peeled & Thinly Sliced
  • 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes, Cut In Half
  • 1 Sweet Red Pepper, Cored, Seeded And Diced Into 1/2 Inch Pieces
  • 1/2 Cup Pitted Black Olives (Kalamata or Gaeta), Cut In Half
  • 1 (14 Ounce) Can Chickpeas, Drained & Rinsed
  • 4 Ounces Young Pecorino or Provolone Dolce Cheese, Cut Into Small Dice
  • 4 Ounces Of Italian Salami, Cut Into Thin Strips

Dressing:

  • Juice of 1 Lemon (About 3 Tablespoons)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried Italian Seasoning

Instructions

  1. Wash and dry the lettuce and slice into thin strips.
  2. Place the lettuce, onion, tomatoes, peppers, olives, chickpeas, cheese, and salami in a large serving bowl.
  3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients, then pour over the salad.
  4. Toss the salad and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 476Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 1041mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 8gSugar: 7gProtein: 19g

Did you make this recipe?

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4 Comments

  1. Mmmm! This looks lovely! How about some marinated artichoke hearts, asparagus and olives? I’ve also added cooked chicken and mushrooms to mine. I’ve never used arugula in mine but will be trying that next. I’ve also shredded raw brussel sprouts to add and they give it a nice crunch. These chopped salads are so great, because you can basically clean the fridge out as you make it. Meats, beets, eggs, veges, nuts, legumes, cheeses, condiments….. the variations are endless! Living alone, I eat a lot of main dish salads as a complete meal.

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