Italian Chopped Salad Homemade Dressing (Printer-Friendly)

Crisp romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers paired with savory salami and mozzarella in a zesty Italian dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad Components

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
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

# How to Make It:

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 well combined. Set aside to allow flavors to 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 using salad tongs to coat all ingredients evenly without damaging delicate components.
04 - Transfer to individual serving plates or serve family-style. Garnish with additional shaved Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This salad converts even the most dedicated salad skeptics with its addictive crunch and savory bites
  • The homemade dressing comes together in seconds but tastes like it came from an Italian kitchen
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and the assembly takes literally five minutes
02 -
  • The dressing needs to be added just before serving or the lettuce will wilt and lose its crunch
  • Taste your olives and cheese first then adjust the salt in the dressing accordingly
  • This salad actually tastes better after sitting for 5 minutes so the flavors can meld
03 -
  • Use a very large bowl for tossing so you do not end up with ingredients all over your counter
  • Chill your serving bowls in the freezer for 10 minutes to keep everything extra crisp

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