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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Chopped Italian Salad

    Published: May 26, 2023 · Modified: Aug 16, 2023 by Shannon · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This easy and delicious Chopped Italian Salad is packed with bold flavors making a great light lunch or a side dish to accompany your favorite Italian meal.

    A bowl with mixed Chopped Italian Salad. this recipe

    Apparently, California Pizza Kitchen has a famous Italian Chopped Salad that the masses are raving about. Since I don't have a CPK in my area, I decided to re-create the salad making a few changes such as eliminating the chickpeas to keep the salad low-carb and eliminating the lettuce because I don't particularly like soggy chopped salads. My Italian Chopped Salad recipe combines a bunch of hearty and nutritious vegetables, adding in some pepperoni for protein, and then tossing it all in a simple light 4-ingredient dressing that allows the flavors of the salad ingredients to really shine. This salad is grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb and keto and can easily be made vegan by swapping chickpeas for the pepperoni.

    Serve this Chopped Italian Salad with Bruschetta Dip, Bruschetta Chicken, Healthy Lasagna Soup or a Pizza Bowl for an entirely Italian-inspired meal.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • FAQ
    • Related
    • Pairing
    • Recipe
    • Food safety
    • Comments

    Ingredients

    Here's what you need to make a Chopped Italian Salad:

    Cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, lemon, grape tomatoes, banana peppers, pepperoni, black olives, olive oil, salt and pepper.
    • English cucumber
    • any color bell pepper
    • red onion
    • grape tomatoes
    • basil
    • banana peppers
    • black olives
    • pepperoni
    • extra virgin olive oil
    • lemon juice
    • salt
    • freshly ground black pepper

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Here's how to make a Chopped Italian Salad:

    A cutting board with diced cucumbers, red onion, bell pepper, halved tomatoes and shredded basil.

    Dice the cucumber, red onion, bell pepper and pepperoni. Halve the grape tomatoes and slice the basil into strips.

    A bowl with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and a whisk.

    To make the salad dressing, in a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

    A bowl with ingredients added for Chopped Italian Salad but not yet stirred.

    Add the chopped cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, pepperoni, tomatoes, basil, olives and banana peppers to the bowl.

    A bowl with mixed Chopped Italian Salad.

    Toss everything until well-coated and serve or refrigerate up to 3 hours prior to serving.

    Hint: Wash your fruits and vegetables when you get home from the store before storing them in the fridge to help make this salad come together even fast when you're ready to prepare it.

    Substitutions

    Want to substitute an ingredient in this Chopped Italian Salad? Here's how:

    • Pepperoni - use salami or a different Italian meat in place of the pepperoni.
    • Lemon juice - use 3 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar in place of the lemon juice.
    • English cucumber - use a regular cucumber in place of the English cucumber, just peel it prior to chopping.
    • Grape tomatoes - use an equal amount of cherry tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes.
    • Any of the veggies - leave out any of the vegetables and replace them with quartered artichoke hearts, shredded romaine lettuce, sundried tomatoes or sliced hearts of palm.

    Variations

    Try one of these variations of a Chopped Italian Salad:

    • Deluxe - add sliced provolone cheese or balls of baby mozzarella cheese to your salad to take it up a notch.
    • Vegan - replace the pepperoni with a can of drained chickpeas to make your salad vegan.

    Or try my Chopped Greek Salad or Chopped Mediterranean Salad.

    Equipment

    This equipment comes in handy when making an Italian Chopped Salad:

    • cutting board
    • knife
    • whisk
    • juice press

    Storage

    This salad is best when eaten within 3 hours of mixing it all together. You can however prep and chop the ingredients storing them separately in airtight containers up to 3 days prior to assembling the salad.

    Top tip

    To meal prep this salad, mix the salad ingredients together and divide it into individual containers. Then, mix the dressing together, pouring it into individual cups to store with the salad. Store this in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Toss the dressing with the salad just before serving.

    FAQ

    What is chopped Italian salad made of?

    A chopped Italian salad can have a variety of ingredients. Usually some form of salad green such as chopped romaine. Then, at least one Italian meat such as pepperoni or salami. One Italian cheese such as provolone or mozzarella. And a variety of other toppings such as tomatoes, black olives, artichoke hearts, banana peppers or red onion.

    What is chopped salad vs regular salad?

    The difference between a chopped salad and a regular salad is that in a chopped salad, all the ingredients are chopped into small bite-size pieces.

    Related

    Looking for other easy salad recipes like this? Try these:

    • A bowl of Curried Tofu Salad.
      Curried Tofu Salad
    • A bowl of Tomato and Bocconcini Salad drizzled with balsamic glaze.
      Bocconcini Tomato Salad
    • A bowl of Watermelon Basil Salad.
      Watermelon Basil Salad
    • A House Salad with a jar of Red Wine Vinaigrette.
      House Salad

    Pairing

    Serve this Chopped Italian Salad with one of these dinner recipes for a balanced meal the whole family will love:

    • A bowl of cooked Slow Cooker Venison Chili topped with sliced avocado, chopped cilantro and sliced jalapenos.
      Slow Cooker Venison Chili
    • A platter with cooked and sliced Venison Meatloaf on it.
      Venison Meatloaf
    • A cooked Venison Burger on a bun with arugula and tomato.
      Venison Burgers
    • A plate of oven roasted smoked sausage and potatoes.
      Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

    Recipe

    A bowl with mixed Chopped Italian Salad.

    Chopped Italian Salad

    Shannon
    This easy and delicious Chopped Italian Salad is packed with bold flavors making a great light lunch or a side dish to accompany your favorite Italian meal.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course lunch, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 269 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 cutting board
    • 1 knife
    • 1 mini whisk
    • 1 juice press

    Ingredients
      

    Salad Ingredients

    • 1 English cucumber
    • 1 red onion
    • 1 bell pepper, any color
    • 4 oz pepperoni
    • 8 oz grape tomatoes
    • 1 bunch basil
    • 2 oz can sliced black olives
    • ⅓ cup banana peppers

    Dressing Ingredients

    • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Dice the cucumber, red onion, bell pepper and pepperoni. Halve the grape tomatoes and slice the basil into strips.
    • To make the salad dressing, in a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
    • Add the chopped cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, pepperoni, tomatoes, basil, olives and banana peppers to the bowl.
    • Toss everything until well-coated and serve or refrigerate up to 3 hours prior to serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 7gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 1034mgPotassium: 312mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1118IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword chopped italian salad
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Food safety

    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods

    More Easy Salad Recipes

    • A Santa Fe Chicken Salad in a wooden bowl with a dish of Creamy Salsa Dressing.
      Santa Fe Chicken Salad
    • A bowl of Healthy Curried Chicken Salad all mixed together.
      Healthy Curried Chicken Salad
    • A bowl of American Cole Slaw.
      American Cole Slaw
    • A container of Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables with sliced jalapenos, sliced radishes and shredded carrots floating in vinegar.
      Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Shannon

      May 26, 2023 at 4:32 pm

      5 stars
      So much flavor and texture in this bowl!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Shannon! I’m a work-at-home wife and mom to 3 active boys. Our family recently relocated to Columbus, Ohio and are making our home in the Midwest. Since a young age, I’ve had a deep love for food, with many of my favorite memories revolving around sharing a meal with special people.

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    A bowl with mixed Chopped Italian Salad.