Easy Italian Chopped Salad

Our family goes nuts for this easy chopped salad recipe. This fresh and tasty salad has crunchy romaine lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and Italian salami tossed with the easiest vinaigrette.

Easy Chopped Salad with salami, olives, and tomatoes.

I love chopped salads! Since all the ingredients are chopped small, you get little bits of everything with every bite. Thanks to the salami, olives, and simple red wine vinaigrette, we call this an Italian chopped salad. It’s delicious.

Serve this easy salad any night of the week. It is especially good with lasagna, spaghetti, meatballs, and pizza!

Easy Italian Chopped Salad ready to eat in a bowl.

Key Ingredients

The best salads are the simplest. You can add a whole list of ingredients to this chopped salad, but since we make it so often, we keep it to just 6. Feel free to add to this list as you see fit!

  • Romaine lettuce: Is our base. It’s light and crunchy. If you like bitterness in your salad, replace half of the romaine with radicchio.
  • Green onions: I often use green onions when I want to taste a little bit of onion, but nothing overpowering.
  • Salami: Adds lots of flavor and texture. I used thinly sliced salami in our photos, but if you have a log, consider cutting it into cubes or little triangles.
  • Cherry tomatoes: Add color and sweetness.
  • Sliced black olives: Inexpensive and remind me of the salads I love to order at my favorite pizza restaurants.
  • Cheese: Brings everything together. I often use feta cheese when making salads, but fresh mozzarella is also an excellent idea!
Chopped Salad Ingredients in a bowl (romaine lettuce, salami, olives, tomatoes, and cheese).

How to Make Chopped Salad

Grab a large salad bowl, chop everything well, and then toss it in. When you’re making chopped salad, the key is to chop everything so that when you put your fork into the salad, it picks up a variety of bite-sized pieces.

This chopped salad dressing is inspired by the salads we’ve enjoyed at some of our favorite pizza restaurants. I make my salad dressing in a ball jar because it’s fast, and you can save any extra in the fridge for another day. It contains mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and salt. The dressing tastes bright and sweet and works nicely with the rest of the salad ingredients.

Pouring the red wine vinegar salad dressing over our Italian chopped salad.

More favorite salad dressings that would work in this salad are our Italian Dressing (tastes fresh and herby) and this Honey Mustard Dressing (sweeter and a little tangy).

What to Serve with Chopped Salad

Serve this chopped salad with Italian dishes like vegetable lasagna, chicken parmesan, or big Italian meatballs. This salad goes well with just about anything but is especially good served next to pizza. Try our easy pizza dough recipe and make your pizza at home. Two of our family’s favorites are cheese pizza and Margherita pizza.

Easy Italian Chopped Salad

  • PREP
  • TOTAL

Our delicious Italian chopped salad is quick and simple to make and tastes great. We keep it simple with 6 main ingredients plus a simple homemade vinaigrette. Serve this chopped salad with pasta or pizza, or serve it as a light meal.

Serves 4 to 6

You Will Need

1 head romaine lettuce, rinsed, patted or spun dry, and chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

3 ounces thin sliced salami, cut into ribbons

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved, about 2 cups

1 (2.25oz) can sliced black olives, drained

1/2 cup feta cheese, blue cheese, or fresh mozzarella cheese

Easy Salad Dressing

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard or Dijon mustard

5 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

    1Whisk the ingredients for the salad dressing in a medium bowl using a whisk, or add them to a mason jar, twist on the lid, and shake until well blended. Adjust the salt to your taste. We use 3/4 teaspoon to 1 ¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt.

    2Add the chopped romaine, chopped green onions, salami, tomatoes, black olives, and cheese to a large salad bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss well. Serve.

Adam and Joanne's Tips

  • Add radicchio for color and a little bitterness.
  • To make this vegetarian, use a vegetarian-friendly cheese and substitute the salami for chickpeas.
  • To make this spicy, chop a handful of spicy peperoncino peppers and add them to the salad.
  • Nutrition facts are estimates. We assumed 1 tablespoon sugar.
Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/6 of the recipe / Calories 262 / Total Fat 22.3g / Saturated Fat 5.5g / Cholesterol 23.9mg / Sodium 734.8mg / Carbohydrate 10.7g / Dietary Fiber 3.1g / Total Sugars 6g / Protein 5.7g
AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher
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19 comments… Leave a Review
  • Alma Catron August 17, 2024, 7:25 pm

    Dear Adam and Joann, I am so happy I found your site. I have been using your recipes a handful of times. We are a family of five therefore, I have to cook and have been feeding my family your recipes. Thank you for making my family happy. Because of you, I put some yummy dishes on the table. Thank you again for what you do to help others like myself who don’t know how to cook especially since I came from another country. I appreciate you and Adam.

    Reply
  • Sadia Asif April 5, 2024, 9:52 am

    Dear Adam and Joann, Luckily I found your channel few years back, everything I tried turned out amazing, I remember I was looking for a pancake recipie, until today I am using all your recipes, I play with them according to my taste and dropping a review was due. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes and hard work. I enjoy the simplicity and improved versions of your recipes. Most importantly making ahead and freezing aspect makes it much convenient. I love your channel. Thank you

    Reply
    • Adam April 5, 2024, 1:53 pm

      You are too sweet. We are so glad you found us 🙂

      Reply
  • Melinda Brosseau April 4, 2024, 9:27 pm

    I have been to your site countless times for a recipe because I enjoy your recipes SO much! Thank you for all the many happy people I have made meals for, using your recipes. I admire your hard work and talent and appreciate that you have shared your success with everyone. You remain my go-to for good food and easy to make meals. Thanks again for all you do to help others. Melinda

    Reply
    • Adam April 5, 2024, 1:52 pm

      You have made our month with this comment/review 🙂

      Reply
  • Wina April 4, 2024, 7:58 am

    The chopped salad was excellent! I used shredded mozzarella cheese because that was what I had on hand but the dressing was soooo delicious with this salad. My husband really enjoyed. Thank you

    Reply
    • Adam April 4, 2024, 11:33 am

      Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed the salad 🙂

      Reply
  • Beth Trautmann March 27, 2024, 12:05 pm

    I enjoyed this salad and was happy to learn about how green onions are not so overpowering. I had always used “regular” onions before, just out of habit. Also, I had usually used beefsteak tomatoes, but I discovered that the cherry tomatoes are better because the other tomatoes can make a salad too watery. It was delicious and the information provided in the recipe was helpful. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Joanne March 27, 2024, 12:31 pm

      Hi Beth, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the salad! I love all kinds of tomatoes, but I agree, cherry or grape tomatoes are best in this salad.

      Reply
  • Monica March 27, 2024, 10:39 am

    Easy and colorful

    Reply
    • Joanne March 27, 2024, 11:26 am

      Thanks Monica!

      Reply
  • Sue March 26, 2024, 8:22 am

    I love your chopped salad which I do make in the warmer weather but your dressing are brilliant should a variety, thank you.

    Reply
    • Joanne March 26, 2024, 11:46 am

      So happy you enjoy it, Sue!

      Reply
  • Carol Kerr March 26, 2024, 2:41 am

    I haven’t tried it yet but over Easter
    It will be perfect don’t know if it will go with prawns if not perfect for BBQ thanks

    Reply
    • Joanne March 26, 2024, 11:46 am

      I bet it would work for both! This salad is super versatile.

      Reply
  • DENISE WATSON March 26, 2024, 1:26 am

    All of the recipes that have been cooked and tried so far is outstanding. Thanks. GOD BLESS

    Reply
    • Joanne March 26, 2024, 11:47 am

      Hi Denise, We are thrilled that you enjoy it. Thanks for coming back and letting us know.

      Reply
  • Marianne Husar March 26, 2024, 12:10 am

    You are the best, great recipes, sometimes I change a tiny bit, but love the vegan recipes. And I make your easy spaghetti with spinach etc. every week.

    Reply
    • Joanne March 26, 2024, 11:48 am

      Hi Marianne, Thanks so much for sharing and leaving such a kind review. We are happy you enjoy this recipe as well as the spaghetti (I love that one, too).

      Reply

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