Italian Chopped Salad

After weeks of rich meals and holiday treats, this Italian chopped salad is exactly what hits the spot in the new year — light, fresh, and full of bright flavor. It comes together easily with simple ingredients, but still feels satisfying and complete. A quick red wine vinaigrette pulls everything together for a salad that feels like a fresh start without feeling boring.

Around here, we had a lot of leftover meats and cheeses. But we wanted something light. So chop up some salami and provolone cheese and the salad is off to a great start.

Romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and red onions are a good base for the salad. Carrots, celery or whatever is left in the produce drawer in the fridge could work as well.

This dressing is super simple. Start with whisking together the vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, chopped thyme salt and pepper in a small bowl or salad shaker.

Slowly whisk in the olive oil and whisk until emulsified. Give it a taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Tip: Double and keep for another salad later.

Put your base ingredients into the salad bowl. Add sliced banana peppers and 1/2 cup (or more) of chickpeas. Toss all together.

Pour the desired amount of dressing on top of the salad. Toss well.

In just 20 minutes you have a light dinner, lunch salad or a first course for a meal.

Perfect Pairing for a Light Dinner

On this night we paired the Italian Chopped Salad with our French Onion Soup. Recipe: HERE

Yield: 2-4

Author: Jennifer Hipskind

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Italian Chopped Salad

Crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, chickpeas, salty salami, and a simple red wine vinaigrette make this an easy go-to for lunch, dinner, or anytime you want something that feels both nourishing and delicious.

Prep time: 20 MinTotal time: 20 Min

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 English cucumber, diced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup banana peppers, drained
• 1/2 cup chickpeas, drained
• 1/4 cup Italian salami, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup provolone cheese, sliced thin

For the Red Wine Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, minced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Thyme, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon (or more) honey
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, Thyme, garlic (if using), salt, and pepper.
2. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is emulsified (or shake in a jar with a tight lid).
3. Taste and adjust seasoning—add a little more vinegar for tang or oil for a milder flavor.
4. In a large salad bowl mix all the produce, cheese and salami. Toss.
5. Add the dressing to the salad mixture. Toss all together. Serve at once. Enjoy!