One of my top five salads is this Chopped Antipasto Salad. It’s salty, creamy, crunchy and full of bright textures and colors. A simple, naturally sweet balsamic vinaigrette ties everything together. Serve it as a main course or a starter — I often make it to use up leftovers from an antipasto platter, and it’s always divine.
Chopped salads are everywhere in Los Angeles, where the style took off. My favorites include Asian-style chopped salads, Italian chopped salads like this one, Southwestern variations, and any version that includes hearty greens like kale. The chopped salad is part of L.A.’s food DNA — as essential as a great breakfast burrito or a classic street-style hot dog.
What is an Antipasto Salad?
This salad blends crisp chopped romaine with bite-sized antipasti. I like to include a variety of cured meats, two cheeses, and a mix of roasted and pickled vegetables. Fresh tomatoes and marinated balsamic onions are great additions when available. The result is essentially an antipasto platter in salad form, brightened with fresh greens and herbs.
Three elements define an Antipasto Salad: marinated or pickled vegetables, a selection of meats, and cheese. The antipasti-to-lettuce ratio is heavier than a typical salad — roughly 70/30 — so expect a hearty, flavorful dish rather than a light green salad.
What’s in a Chopped Antipasto Salad?
Below are the ingredients I typically use. This salad is very flexible — swap items to suit dietary preferences or what’s available. Quantities are approximate; most components work well in 1/2–1 cup amounts. Chop everything into similar-sized pieces (about 1 inch) so each forkful has a balanced mix of flavors and textures.
My version includes:
- Marinated mozzarella balls (ciliegine size)
- Calabrese salami, thinly sliced
- Capocollo, thinly sliced
- Prosciutto, thinly sliced
- Red cherry peppers
- Grilled or marinated artichokes
- Italian olives (pitted)
- Italian giardiniera
- Roasted red peppers, cut into strips
- Pan-roasted mushrooms (optional) or jarred marinated mushrooms
- Balsamic grilled vegetables (or frozen/deli-grilled vegetables)
- Romaine lettuce, washed and thinly sliced
- Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- Fresh basil, torn or sliced
- Freshly shredded Parmesan
Note: Many grocery stores offer Mediterranean vegetable blends in the frozen aisle that work well if you don’t have time to grill your own.
Pan-Roasted Mushrooms (optional)
Sauté 8 ounces of cleaned mushrooms with one sliced garlic clove in a little oil. Add 1/4 cup dry white wine or water and cook until it evaporates, then add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and pan-roast about 10 more minutes until tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.
How to prepare the ingredients
If grilling vegetables or making pan-roasted mushrooms, do those first. The key to a chopped salad is uniform sizing: aim for roughly 1-inch pieces. Slice meats, cheeses, artichokes, roasted peppers and romaine thinly. Roll thinly sliced meats and cheeses and cut them into ribbons for a nice presentation. Tear or cut larger mozzarella into bite-sized pieces.
- Roll meats and cheeses and slice into ribbons for texture.
- Tear larger mozzarella into bite-sized pieces; ciliegine can remain whole.
- Chop cherry peppers, artichokes and giardiniera lengthwise.
- Quarter mushrooms and cube balsamic grilled vegetables.
- Halve cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Wash, dry and thinly slice romaine.
- Roll basil into a tight cylinder and slice into ribbons (chiffonade).
- Use a fine shred for freshly grated Parmesan.
When everything is prepped, combine the ingredients in a large bowl. The salad’s many flavors and textures are best served with a simple balsamic dressing that highlights the antipasti without overpowering them.
Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
This straightforward dressing brings the salad together with minimal effort. Combine:
- 1/4 cup good balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Pinch dried Italian herbs
- 1 small clove minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, herbs, garlic and salt and pepper together. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. Start by dressing the salad with about half the vinaigrette, toss gently, and add more if needed. To test seasoning, dip a lettuce leaf in the dressing and taste — you’ll get a better sense of how it works with the salad than tasting the dressing alone.
Serving ideas for this Chopped Antipasto Salad
This salad pairs beautifully with simply grilled chicken or steak, and it’s a great companion for pizza or pasta night. It’s also substantial enough to be a satisfying standalone main for lunch or a light dinner.
If you make this salad, please share your feedback and rating — it helps other readers. Enjoy!
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Chopped Antipasto Salad
Ana Coronado
May 1, 2024
Equipment
- 1 large platter or bowl
Ingredients
Chopped Antipasto Salad
- 1/2 cup Marinated mozzarella balls (ciliegine)
- 1/2 cup Calabrese salami, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup Capocollo, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup Prosciutto, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup Red cherry peppers, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup Marinated artichokes, grilled
- 1/2 cup Italian olives, pitted
- 1/2 cup Italian giardiniera, chopped
- 1/2 cup Roasted red peppers, strips
- 1 cup Pan-roasted mushrooms, quartered
- 1 cup Balsamic grilled vegetables, cubed
- 1 small head Romaine, washed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup Fresh basil, sliced or torn
- 1/4 cup Parmesan, freshly shredded
Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup Good balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Pinch dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder or 1 small clove minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Chopped Antipasto Salad
- Chop ingredients to about 1-inch pieces. Slice romaine, meats, cheeses, artichokes and roasted peppers thinly.
- Roll thinly sliced meats and cheeses and slice into ribbons if desired. Tear larger mozzarella into bite-sized pieces.
- Quarter mushrooms and cube balsamic grilled vegetables. Halve tomatoes and slice or chiffonade basil.
- Combine all prepared ingredients in a large bowl.
Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, Dijon, dried herbs, garlic and salt and pepper.
- Slowly whisk in olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add about half the dressing to the salad, toss gently, and add more dressing if needed.
Optional: Pan-Roasted Mushrooms
- Sauté 8 ounces cleaned mushrooms with one sliced garlic clove in oil. Add 1/4 cup dry white wine or water and cook until evaporated. Add olive oil and pan-roast until tender, about 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
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