Italian Chopped Salad Homemade Dressing (Printable)
Vibrant, crunchy salad with fresh vegetables, salami, cheese, and olives in zesty homemade Italian dressing.
# What You'll 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
→ Salad Add-ins
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 - 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. Set aside to let flavors meld.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, olives, pepperoncini, mozzarella, Parmesan, and salami.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently with tongs to coat all ingredients evenly without damaging the vegetables.
04 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional shaved Parmesan if desired.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- Every bite delivers different textures and flavors, from crisp vegetables to creamy cheese and salty cured meat
- The homemade dressing comes together in seconds but tastes like it simmered for hours
- You can prep everything ahead and just toss before serving
02 -
- The dressing tastes better after sitting for at least 30 minutes
- Never dress this salad more than 15 minutes before serving or it becomes soggy
- Chopping everything into similar sizes ensures perfect bite distribution
03 -
- Dry your washed lettuce thoroughly before chopping so the dressing sticks properly
- Taste an olive first to gauge saltiness before adding extra salt to the dressing