Vegetarian Italian Chopped Salad Recipe
Here’s a flavorful and satisfying Vegetarian Italian Chopped Salad-packed with crisp veggies, cheese, olives, and a zesty Italian dressing. It's perfect as a side or a light main dish.
Ingredients:
For the Salad:
2 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup Radicchio or red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup Cucumber, diced
1/2 cup Red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup Chickpeas (canned or cooked), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup Kalamata olives or black olives, sliced
1/2 cup Mozzarella pearls or diced provolone cheese
1/4 cup Pepperoncini or banana peppers, sliced (optional)
1/4 cup Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
For the Italian Dressing:
1/3 cup Olive oil
2 tablespoons Red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon Sugar or honey (optional, for balance)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Dressing:
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and sugar/honey if using.
Mix well until emulsified.
2. Assemble the Salad:
In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, radicchio (or red cabbage), tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, chickpeas, red onion, olives, cheese, and pepperoncini.
3. Toss and Serve:
Pour the dressing over the salad.
Toss everything gently until evenly coated.
Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley.
Serve immediately for the best crunch and flavor.
Tips:
Add cooked pasta like bowtie or rotini to turn this into a vegetarian pasta salad.
To make it vegan, simply omit the cheese or use a dairy-free alternative.
Can be made in advance-just keep dressing separate until ready to serve.