This hearty chopped Italian salad is guaranteed to satisfy. Loaded with smoky ham, diced sharp provolone or sweet fontina, briney olives, artichokes, sweet & spicy peppers, crisp-juicy veggies, avocado, toasted pine nuts, fresh herbs, and a sweet honey Dijon balsamic with a kick of spice. 
I apologize for using the word “juicy,” but you know that’s what you want in a salad. This loaded chopped Italian salad is juicy, hearty, meaty, cheesy, crunchy, briny, salty, sweet, spicy, fresh, and herby all at once. It’s a salad made to satisfy… both your appetite and your tastebuds. Honestly, the flavor surpasses any salad you are going to find in a restaurant, and it’s super simple to throw together from scratch at home!
Salad breakdown
- Greens – I really like baby greens (baby butter, baby Romaine, etc.) or chopped green leaf lettuce
- Crunchy veggies – Thinly sliced red onion, red bell pepper, and shaved fennel (when in season)
- Sweet grape tomatoes – Sugar Bombs are hands-down the best I’ve ever had outside of Sicily.
- Jarred artichoke hearts – In brine or an olive oil-based marinate… A necessity!
- Olives – Taste around the olive bar and find your favorite.
- Ham – I use black forest ham that’s sliced thin at the deli counter (much better taste and quality than pre-packaged). You can sub an Italian cold cut of your choice or go vegetarian if desired.
- Cheese – Any semi-soft mild cheese will work here. You can go sharper with provolone, sweeter with fontina or mozzarella, or smokey/sweet with a smoked goat cheese or smoked mozzarella. Dice into small cubes directly from the block.
- Avocado – Not traditional Italian, but I love the texture that it adds to this salad.
- Pine nuts – They are more expensive, but fortunately they can be used in moderation with a big impact. Lightly toast them in the toaster oven or in a dry skillet for the best aroma and optimal nutty flavor and crunch.
- Fresh basil and parsley – I must confess, lightly dried herbs are my secret weapon for garnishes and added flavor. They stay fresh in the fridge for weeks, you don’t have to maintain a plant, and they are already washed, chopped, and ready-to-go whenever you need them. I even prefer the taste of lightly dried herbs for many dishes because they look and feel like fresh herbs, but with more concentrated natural flavor.
- Honey Dijon balsamic dressing – So simple, so delicious. You’ll never reach for a store-bought vinaigrette again. Just mix together Dijon, a really good aged balsamic (the quality makes a huge difference in taste), quality olive oil, honey, fresh lemon juice, sea salt, ground black pepper, and a dash of Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper for a kick.
The Loaded Chopped Italian Salad
This loaded chopped Italian salad is juicy, hearty, meaty, cheesy, crunchy, briny, salty, sweet, spicy, fresh, and herby all at once. It’s guaranteed to satisfy.
Notes
See post above for tips and substitutions. This recipe is intended to make one single-serving, full-size salad. Feel free to adjust the amount of each ingredient to your preference.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1-2 cups chopped green leaf lettuce, baby butter lettuce, or baby Romaine
- 1 Tbsp red onion, thinly sliced
- 2-3 Tbsp red bell pepper, sliced and roughly chopped
- 2-3 Tbsp raw fennel, thinly shaved (when in season)
- 5-7 sweet grape tomatoes, sliced (I highly recommend Sugar Bombs)
- 1-2 jarred artichoke hearts, chopped
- 2-3 olives of choice, pitted and chopped (I prefer kalamata)
- ~1.5 oz ham, freshly sliced (or another Italian cold cut of choice)
- 1/2 - 1 oz semi-soft cheese, diced (sharp provolone, sweet fontina or mozzarella, or smoked goat/mozzarella)
- 1/2 - 1 oz avocado, sliced
- ~1 Tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
- sprinkle fresh basil and/or parsley (lightly dried herbs are a great convenient alternative to fresh)
For the dressing (for ONE serving):
- 1/2 tsp grainy Dijon
- 1.5 tsp high quality aged balsamic
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- sea salt, to taste
- cracked black pepper, to taste
- Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- To toast the pine nuts, either (1) place them in the toaster oven on a piece of foil and toast on a low setting until lightly browned and fragrant, or (2) place them in a dry skillet over low-medium heat and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, occasionally shaking the pan.
- Prep remaining salad ingredients and add to a large salad bowl or mixing bowl. Add the toasted pine nuts.
- In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients until fully incorporated and smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. (For a single serving like this, you can just use a measuring spoon to mix vigorously in a small bowl, or add the ingredients to a mini dressing container and shake until smooth.)
- Toss the dressing with the salad. Serve and enjoy!
