Italian Chopped Salad with Homemade Dressing (Printable Version)

Vibrant mix of crisp vegetables, salami, and cheese in zesty homemade dressing

# What You Need:

→ Salad Base

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

→ Proteins and Cheeses

06 - 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed or fresh bocconcini
07 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
08 - 3.5 oz Genoa salami, cut into thin strips

→ Italian Accompaniments

09 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
10 - 1/2 cup pepperoncini, sliced

→ 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 (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and honey until emulsified and well combined. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Genoa salami strips.
03 - Drizzle the homemade Italian dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently with salad tongs to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately, garnished with additional shaved Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • That homemade dressing comes together in seconds and makes you question ever buying bottled again
  • Every forkful hits you with something different creamy cheese, briny olives, crisp vegetables, spicy salami
  • Its the kind of salad that actually fills you up and leaves zero crumbs behind
02 -
  • The dressing can be made up to three days ahead and keeps beautifully in the fridge
  • Wait until the absolute last minute to dress this or youll lose that perfect crunch
  • If youre making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and add crisp elements like nuts right before serving
03 -
  • Dry your lettuce thoroughly after washing or the dressing will slide right off
  • Let the salami sit out for 15 minutes before serving so the fat renders and the flavor opens up

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