This Italian chopped salad is one of my favorite salads for serving with just about any meal! With veggies, olives, salami, parmesan and a zesty dressing, it’s packed with fresh, vibrant flavors.
The first time I made this Italian chopped salad, it was to serve with our weekly Friday pizza dinner. This zesty salad recipe immediately won us over, and it’s been a favorite ever since!
So what is a chopped salad, exactly? It’s just what it sounds like! We chop the ingredients up fairly finely so that you can get a little bit of everything in each bite. It’s one of my favorite types of salads and this Italian version is just so good!
There’s so much to love about my chopped salad recipe:
- Flavor-packed ingredients like juicy tomatoes, radicchio, pepperoncini, salami, olives and shaved Parmesan.
- Loads of goodies in every bite, thanks to the chopped texture.
- Side salad or make it a meal. With the chickpeas, salami, olives and veggies, this is a satisfying salad. To make it even more filling, add hard boiled eggs, avocado or chicken.
Italian Chopped Salad Ingredients
Here’s a look at what you’ll need for this recipe, as well as substitution options.
- Romaine & Radicchio: I love the blend of these two in this chopped salad! The radicchio is bold, slightly bitter and a tad spicy. The crisp romaine balances out the stronger-flavored radicchio. Of course, if you prefer a more subtle flavor you can stick to only romaine or swap in your favorite greens.
- Cucumber: Crisp and refreshing, I always have cucumbers on hand to add to our salads. I love to use English cucumber because it’s less bitter and you don’t have to peel the thin skin.
- Tomato: Tomatoes add juicy sweetness to the salad. Use either halved cherry tomatoes or chopped whole tomatoes.
- Red Onion: Thinly sliced red onion brings crisp, sweet-spicy flavor. If you find raw onions too strong, soak the sliced onion in ice water for 5 minutes to mellow its flavor. Then pat the onions dry and add them to your salad.
- Chickpeas: I just love adding chickpeas to salads! Also try them in my Chickpea Salad. Not a chickpea fan? White beans (like cannellini beans) or red kidney beans are great substitutes.
- Black Olives: A great flavor booster! Green olives or kalamata olives work well here, too.
- Pepperoncini: For mild spiciness. Use the rest of the jar to make Italian Beef.
- Salami: Brings savory, meaty flavor. I buy regular deli salami and slice it into thin ribbons. You can leave the salami out if you want a vegetarian recipe.
- Shaved Parmesan: Rich, salty and nutty, it brings so much flavor to this salad.
- Italian Dressing: The dressing is a slight variation of my Homemade Italian Dressing recipe. To make it you’ll need olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
How to Make a Chopped Salad
If you’d like to get a head start on making this salad the dressing is a great place to start. It will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Make dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried oregano, Dijon, salt and pepper.
Assemble salad. Add all of the ingredients to your salad bowl. Then drizzle on the dressing, a little at a time, tossing to mix, until the salad is dressed to your liking. Serve and enjoy!
Serving Ideas
- Follow my lead and make this chopped salad for your next pizza night, along with my easy Pizza Dough Recipe and Pizza Sauce Recipe.
- With your favorite Italian meals. We love it with Spaghetti and Meatballs.
- With soup. Try it with my Lentil Soup or Minestrone Soup.
- This Italian chopped salad is a great side dish for Baked Chicken Thighs or Grilled Chicken.
More Favorite Salad Recipes
- Italian Salad. Similar to this chopped salad but without the salami and radicchio.
- Strawberry Spinach Salad. My go-to for any spring or summer event.
- Quinoa Salad. A favorite side dish or lunch.
- Mediterranean Couscous Salad. Swap the greens for pearl couscous with this meal prep-friendly recipe.
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Italian Chopped Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1 large head romaine
- 4 cups thinly sliced radicchio, 1 small head radicchio
- 1 cup chopped English cucumber
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¾ cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ⅓ cup sliced black olives
- 6 pepperoncini, stems removed and chopped
- 2 ounces salami, sliced into thin ribbons
- 2 ounces shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Make dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried oregano, Dijon, salt and pepper.
- Assemble salad: Place the romaine, radicchio, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, chickpeas, black olives, pepperoncini, salami and shaved Parmesan in a large salad bowl. Drizzle on the dressing, a little at a time, tossing to mix, until salad is dressed to your liking. Serve immediately.
