Italian Chopped Salad with Homemade Dressing (Printable)
Crisp romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, and red peppers paired with salami, mozzarella, and olives in a tangy 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
# Directions:
01 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and honey in a small bowl or jar until fully emulsified. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
02 - Combine chopped Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, cubed mozzarella, shaved Parmesan, and salami strips in a large salad bowl.
03 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad immediately before serving. Toss gently with tongs to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated without crushing delicate components.
04 - Transfer to individual serving plates or serve family-style. Garnish with additional shaved Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately while vegetables maintain their crisp texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The homemade dressing comes together in seconds but tastes like it simmered for hours
- Everything can be prepped ahead and tossed right before serving
- Each bite gives you something different, creamy cheese, salty olives, crisp vegetables
02 -
- The salad gets soggy if dressed too far in advance, wait until the moment everyone sits down
- Room temperature vegetables taste better than cold ones from the fridge
- The dressing keeps for a week in the fridge and actually gets better over time
03 -
- Dry your lettuce thoroughly after washing, wet lettuce makes for watery dressing
- Taste the olives and pepperoncini before adding salt, they might provide enough seasoning on their own