Italian Antipasto Salad is a chopped salad loaded with classic deli meats, cheese, and crisp vegetables. Dressed with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette, this salad is bold enough to serve as dinner yet simple enough to enjoy as a side.
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Antipasto Dinner Salad
This Italian Antipasto Dinner Salad is like a deconstructed Italian Publix Italian Sub!
It's packed with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, onion, Genoa salami, soppressata, ham, and provolone, all served with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. Fresh, filling, and ready in 20 minutes.
Antipasto means "before the meal" in Italian. Traditionally it was the first course, served before the main dish.
Serve it as a main course, appetizer, or side salad. It's perfect for a buffet, travels well for a potluck, and makes a great addition to any game day spread. Everyone always loves it!
Ingredients
This salad serves 4. It can easily be doubled.
- Soppressata, diced
- Genoa salami, diced
- Tavern ham, diced (or leftover holiday ham)
- Provolone cheese, diced
- Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Roasted red peppers, sliced
- Romaine hearts, chopped
- Green or black Kalamata olives
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Balsamic vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Sugar
- Minced garlic or roasted garlic
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Ingredient Notes
This salad has plenty of ingredients, but it's simple to make. Just gather everything, dice the meat and cheese, and toss it all together.
Here are some substitutions you can try.
- Romaine: Romaine is crunchy and holds up well with heavy toppings. You can substitute with iceberg or a spring mix will also work.
- Radicchio: This red leafy vegetable has a spicy, slightly bitter taste. It balances well with the rich flavors of meats and cheese.
- Fresh Basil: Garnish with about ¼ cup of leaves.
- Meats: Soppressata adds spice, salami gives richness, and tavern ham offers a mild taste. You can sub the ham with prosciutto, coppa, mortadella, or pepperoni.
- Cheese: Provolone is classic, but fresh mozzarella cubes or Parmesan shavings are also great choices.
- Dressing: A simple sweet balsamic vinaigrette ties everything together. You can substitute balsamic with red wine vinegar.
Dicing Meat and Cheese For a Salad
For a chopped salad, I ask the deli counter to cut the meats and cheese into thick slices, about ¼ inch. This makes it easy to dice the salami, soppressata, and cheese into cubes.
If you have thinly sliced meat, roll a few slices into a cigar shape and cut across into strips. This gives you short ribbons of meat that mix nicely with the other ingredients.
The same goes for the cheese. Ask for thick slices so you can cut them into even cubes.
Provolone works well, but you can swap in mozzarella slices.
Small mozzarella balls, called ciliegine, are another easy option since they don't need cutting.
How To Make Antipasto Salad
- Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Cube meat and cheese: Ask the deli counter to cut the meats and cheese into thick slices, about ½ inch. This makes it easy to dice the meat and cheese into cubes.
- Cut the romaine across into 1-inch strips and place it in your salad bowl.
- For the radicchio, slice it in half, remove the core, then place the flat side down on the board. Cut it into 1-inch strips to match the romaine. Toss the raddichio with the romaine.
- To bring it all together, place the chopped romaine and radicchio in a large salad bowl or serving platter. Add the diced meats, cubes of provolone, tomatoes, onion, olives, and artichokes in groups over the lettuce.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Salad Toppers
- Olives (black, green, or Kalamata)
- Roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
- Artichoke hearts
- Red onions, thinly sliced
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Pepperoncini or banana peppers
- Swap ham for prosciutto or capicola
- Use mozzarella pearls instead of provolone
Top Tips for Success
- Chop ingredients into bite-sized pieces for easier serving.
- Serve the dressing on the side so it doesn't wilt the salad.
- Use a sharp knife so meats and cheese cut cleanly.
Pairing Suggestions
- Crusty Italian bread, bruschetta, or garlic knots
- A bowl of minestrone or tomato basil soup
- A side of pasta with marinara
- A glass of Chianti or sparkling water with lemon
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Keep the dressing separate if you plan to store ahead, otherwise the lettuce will soften.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve in a large family-style bowl for sharing.
- Plate individually with extra dressing on the side.
- Pair with an Italian bread as a first course.
Summary
Italian Antipasto Dinner Salad is made with deli meats, cheese, and fresh vegetables in one bowl. Tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, it works as a full meal or a simple side.
When making an antipasto chopped salad, ask the deli counter for thick slices of meat and cheese. Cutting them into cubes helps the pieces mix evenly with the vegetables and gives the salad a colorful, uniform look.
I like to serve the balsamic vinaigrette on the side so everyone can add as much as they like. Keeping the dressing separate also prevents the greens from wilting. If you have leftovers, they'll stay fresher and crisper without the dressing mixed in.
Easy to make and always delicious, this salad is ideal for dinner at home, a potluck gathering, or a pasta night with friends.
This salad is naturally gluten-free, keto-friendly, and high in protein. The dressing includes a small amount of sugar, which you can leave out if you prefer no added sugar.
FAQ
A classic antipasto salad usually includes lettuce, cured meats like salami or soppressata, cheeses such as provolone or mozzarella, and vegetables like tomatoes, olives, artichokes, and peppers, all tossed in Italian dressing.
"Antipasto" is the singular word in Italian, meaning "before the meal." "Antipasti" is the plural form, referring to many dishes. In the U.S., both words are often used interchangeably when describing this style of salad.
In Italian, "antipasto" means "before the meal." It comes from the Latin words ante (before) and pastus (meal). Antipasto dishes, like meats, cheeses, and vegetables, were traditionally served as the first course to stimulate the appetite before the main meal.
Italian Antipasto Salad
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ¼ pound soppressata diced
- ¼ pound Genoa salami diced
- ¼ pound tavern ham, prosciutto, or mortadella, diced
- ¼ pound provolone diced
- ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts
- ½ cup roasted peppers sliced
- 2 romaine hearts chopped
- ½ head radicchio chopped
- ½ cup green or black olives sliced
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar (omit if on keto or low-carb diet)
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Dice the salami, soppressata, ham, and provolone into cubes.
- Rinse and dry the romaine, then cut across into 1-inch strips. Place in a large salad bowl.
- Slice the radicchio in half, remove the core, place flat side down, and cut into 1-inch strips. Toss with the romaine.
- Arrange the diced meats, cheese, tomatoes, onions, olives, and artichokes over the greens.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve with balsamic vinaigrette on the side.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Keep the dressing separate if you plan to store ahead, otherwise the lettuce will soften.
- Crusty Italian bread, bruschetta, or garlic knots
- A bowl of minestrone or tomato basil soup
- A side of pasta with marinara
- A glass of Chianti or sparkling water with lemon
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