This vibrant Chopped Antipasto Salad is full of crisp romaine, cherry tomatoes, salami, and cheese and dressed with a tangy Parmesan vinaigrette. Perfect for any gathering!
Jump to:
About This Recipe
This Chopped Antipasto Salad is a vibrant dish that combines classic antipasto ingredients in one refreshing bowl. Perfect for picnic season, this Italian antipasto salad features crisp romaine lettuce, sweet cherry tomatoes, savory salami, cheese, and more pantry staples.
The salad is dressed with a tangy Parmesan vinaigrette that adds a savory kick to each bite and bursts with salty, crunchy, and savory flavors, making it a crowd pleaser for any gathering.
Serve with a few Puff Pastry Cheese Straws which complement the salad perfectly.
📋 Ingredients
- Romaine Lettuce: Keep the romaine crisp and cold in the fridge until ready to assemble the salad. You can also add arugula for a spicy kick.
- Cheese: Any cheese would work in an antipasto salad. This salad has small cubes of mozzarella and slices of provolone cheese.
- Salami: Look for a good quality salami that is seasoned with spices and black pepper.
- Tomatoes: Both fresh cherry tomatoes and sundried tomatoes are added to the antipasto salad. Look for sundried tomatoes that are packed in oil which are more plump and flavorful.
- Onion: Use a mandolin to thinly slice red onion (I'm using crisp red onion from Peri and Sons Farms). If the onion is too strong, soak the sliced onion in cold water for 10 minutes to get some of the bitterness out.
- Pepperoncini and Olives: This is the time to use whatever's available in your pantry! Pepperoncini are slightly spicy pickled peppers and mild green castelveltrano olives are added to the salad for a bite of saltiness.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
One of the great things about this antipasto salad is its versatility. Add what you have, what's available, in season or in your pantry!
- Protein: Swap the salami for pepperoni, prosciutto, or add chickpeas or other beans for a meat free option.
- Cheese: Substitute provolone and mozzarella with feta, goat cheese, or cubed sharp cheddar or gouda.
- Pantry Staples: Add whatever canned or jarred items you have, such as artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers or capers.
⏲️ Instructions
Step 1. Layer all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2. Whisk the vinaigrette until emulsified and keep seperate until you're ready to dress the salad.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Keep it Crisp: Keep the lettuce crisp by keeping it in the fridge covered with a lightly damp paper towel.
- Uniform Chopping: Cut the salad ingredients into similar sized pieces for a more consistent texture.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the salad and vinaigrette ahead of time. Store them separately in the fridge and combine just before serving to keep everything crisp.
- Seasoning: Taste and adjust the seasoning of the vinaigrette as needed. The balance of salt, acid, and oil can be adjusted to your liking.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can assemble both the salad and make the vinaigrette ahead of time, but keep them separate until right before serving.
The salad will last in the fridge for up to 2 days. If the antipasto salad has dressing on it, it can wilt the vegetables so it's recommended to not dress the salad until right before serving.
What to Serve with Antipasto Salad
- Grilled Meats and Fish: grilled tomahawk steak, grilled branzino or grilled sockeye salmon
- Breads on the Side: garlic focaccia or puff pastry cheese straws
More Salad Recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Chopped Antipasto Salad
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Equipment
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head of romaine chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 3 ounces salami sliced into strips
- 3 ounces provolone cheese sliced into strips
- ½ pound mozzarella cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup pitted green olives chopped
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup sliced pepperoncini
- Small bunch of parsley leaves finely chopped
Parmesan Vinaigrette
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad. In a large bowl, combine all of the chopped antipasto salad ingredients.
- Make the Vinaigrette. In a bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, grated Parmesan cheese, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and ground black pepper until emulsified. Alternatively, you can add the ingredients to a mason jar and shake until emulsified.
- Dress the Salad. Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and mix to combine. Add more dressing if desired.
DolceSanDiego says
This Chopped Antipasto Salad is fantastic. The chopping is so well worth the effort. It's also so beautiful. And my go-to salad when entertaining. I substitute the quinoa for Farrow. Sometimes I do both. I find the Gouda cheese doesn't hold up after time to the vinaigrette so use provolone or a dense cheese.
DolceSanDiego says
This salad is outstanding and so beautiful. It's worth all the prep and chopping. You can be creative and add what you have in the refrigerator or pantry; sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, pine nuts, chopped roasted asparagus. It's already complicated with great flavors so don't overdo with too many additional ingredients.
Samantha says
I certainly agree...thank you for the suggestions!
Amy @ Frugale.org says
We try to have an antipasto salad at least 4 times a week. Love it.