What a beauty this Italian Chopped Salad is! Bursting with colors and flavors, it combines fresh onions, crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, vibrant banana peppers, savory olives, and salami for a satisfying and nutritious dish.
This Salad will brighten up any meal with its colorful presentation and irresistible flavors, perfect for a quick lunch or a side dish at your next gathering.
Ingredients:
For the Salad:
- 4 cups of Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup of cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup of red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup of black olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/2 cup of fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup of green bell peppers, diced
- 1/4 cup of banana peppers, sliced
- 1/4 cup of salami, sliced
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably labeled “extra-light tasting”
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 or 2 lemons)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Prep time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2 large or 4 small servings
Instructions:
Step 1: Begin by chopping, dicing, and slicing the ingredients listed in the salad ingredients section.
Step 2: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a deep glass and mix thoroughly with an immersion blender.
Step 3: Assemble the salad by layering it in the following order:
- start with the chopped lettuce
- followed by the halved cherry tomatoes, diced green bell peppers, diced cucumbers, cubed mozzarella cheese
- then sliced salami, thinly sliced red onions, sliced black olives, banana peppers
- and chopped basil and parsley.
Step 4: Finish by topping the layered salad with the prepared dressing.
