Chopped Salad Recipe

Chop lettuces

Rinse romaine, iceberg and radicchio under cold water and spin dry or pat thoroughly with paper towels. Finely chop the romaine and iceberg into roughly 1/2-inch pieces and thinly slice the radicchio. Combine in a large mixing bowl.

Seed (if desired) and dice the cucumber into small, uniform pieces. Quarter the cherry tomatoes. Dice the red bell pepper, finely dice the red onion (so it mixes well without overpowering), grate or julienne the carrot, and small-dice the celery.

If using canned corn, drain and pat dry. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pit and halve the Kalamata olives. Slice the pepperoncini into rings or half-rings. Add all prepared vegetables, corn, chickpeas, olives and pepperoncini to the bowl with the chopped lettuces.

Crumble the feta and add to the salad bowl. Toast sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and slightly golden, about 3–4 minutes; let cool and add to the bowl. Sprinkle chopped parsley and sliced chives over the salad.

In a small bowl or jar, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Whisk vigorously or shake in a lidded jar until the dressing emulsifies and is smooth (about 20–30 seconds). Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, vinegar for brightness, or honey for sweetness as desired.

Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and gently toss with tongs or salad servers to evenly coat all ingredients. Taste and add more dressing if needed. Toss briefly again to combine.

Finish with a sprinkle of reserved toasted seeds or nuts and a final crumble of feta. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately as a main for 2–3 people or as a side for 4–6. Leftovers: store dressing separately if possible and keep salad refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day to maintain crispness.