Italian Chopped Salad Recipe

Prepare greens

Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine, radicchio and iceberg. Remove any tough ribs. Stack leaves and chiffonade (thinly slice) or chop to roughly 1/2–3/4 inch pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl.

Prepare vegetables

Halve the cherry tomatoes. Peel (if desired) and seed the cucumber, then dice into 1/4-inch pieces. Core and seed the red bell pepper and dice to match the cucumber. Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons and separate into rings. Add all vegetables to the bowl with the greens.

Prepare briny components

Rinse and dry the Kalamata olives if packed in brine and roughly chop or halve. Slice pepperoncini into rings. Add olives and pepperoncini to the salad bowl.

Add proteins and cheese

Cube provolone into small bite-sized pieces (about 1/2-inch). Stack salami and capicola (or ham), roll and slice thinly, then chop into small squares about the same size as the cheese. Add salami, capicola and provolone to the bowl.

Herbs

Chop fresh parsley and add to the bowl. If using toasted pine nuts for crunch, add them now (or reserve for garnish).

In a medium bowl or jar combine red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using). Whisk until the mustard is fully incorporated.

Slowly stream in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking vigorously to emulsify the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt, pepper or vinegar if desired.

Pour about three-quarters of the dressing over the salad in the large bowl. Toss thoroughly with salad tongs or two large spoons until all ingredients are evenly coated. Add more dressing to taste — reserve any extra dressing for serving.

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or leave in the bowl. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top and add remaining toasted pine nuts if using. Serve immediately.

Storage: Store leftover dressing separately in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Salad components (without dressing) will keep up to 2 days refrigerated; combine and dress just before serving to preserve crispness.