Description
A fresh and vibrant Italian Grinder Chopped Salad that combines classic deli meats, crisp vegetables, and tangy Italian dressing for a quick, easy, and flavorful meal or side dish. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep, this salad features bold, balanced flavors with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
Greens
- Mixed greens (romaine or iceberg lettuce), finely chopped – about 4 cups
Meats
- Italian deli meats (salami, ham, capicola), sliced into bite-sized pieces – 1 cup total
Cheese
- Provolone cheese, cubed or sliced – 1/2 cup
Vegetables
- Cherry tomatoes, halved – 1 cup
- Red onion, thinly sliced – 1/4 cup
- Banana peppers, sliced – 1/4 cup
- Cucumber, thinly sliced – 1/2 cup
- Olives (Kalamata or black), pitted and sliced – 1/4 cup
Dressing and Herbs
- Italian dressing (tangy vinaigrette with herbs) – 1/4 cup, adjust to taste
- Fresh parsley or basil, roughly chopped – 2 tablespoons
Instructions
- Prep the Vegetables and Herbs: Wash and dry all vegetables thoroughly. Finely chop the lettuce, halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion and cucumber, and roughly chop the parsley or basil.
- Chop the Meats and Cheese: Cut the Italian deli meats into bite-sized pieces. Cube or slice the provolone cheese to similar sizes for balanced bites.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, gently toss together the chopped lettuce, meats, cheese, vegetables, olives, and banana peppers ensuring even distribution.
- Dress the Salad: Drizzle the Italian dressing over the salad gradually while tossing to coat everything evenly without making the salad soggy. Adjust the amount of dressing based on your preference.
- Serve or Chill: Serve immediately for the freshest texture, or cover and refrigerate for about an hour to allow flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients for the best flavor and texture.
- Chop all ingredients uniformly to ensure even flavor distribution and ease of eating.
- Add dressing gradually to avoid sogginess.
- Chilling the salad before serving helps the flavors blend.
- Adjust salt carefully due to the saltiness of deli meats.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No Cooking Required
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
Keywords: Italian salad, chopped salad, Italian grinder salad, deli meat salad, easy Italian recipe, gluten free salad