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Italian Chopped Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

June 20, 2022 by Ashley Leave a Comment

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A classic Italian Chopped Salad with marinated chickpeas for an extra boost of flavor. The salad is tossed in a Parmesan vinaigrette for a creamy and tangy bite!

close up shot of the marinated chickpeas being serve onto the finished salad with a gold dinner fork.

An Italian Chopped Salad was one of my most consumed salads as a child because they were on most restaurant menus & my parents knew if they ordered one, I would eat it. It was also a great way to get little me to eat vegetables. But I preferred these complex salads more for the salami & cheese (no surprise there). This recipe is an ode to my two favorite chopped salads, the CPK Italian Chop & the famous La Scala Chop. Hopefully I did these salads justice.

The crown jewel of this salad are the marinated chickpeas that add a hit of tanginess to this otherwise refreshing salad. The longer you marinade the chickpeas the more flavor they impart into the salad, but even just 15 minutes while you prep the salad will make such a difference in the overall flavor.

final shot of the Italian chopped salad with all of the ingredients mixed up.

What You Need To Make this Italian Chopped Salad

There are two main components to this recipe, the marinated chickpeas and the salad. The marinated chickpea ingredients are:

  • Lemon Juice
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Olive Oil
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Dried Basil
  • Dried Thyme
  • Dried Organo
  • Dried Parsley
  • Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese – I highly recommend using the good stuff and grating it yourself! It makes such a difference in the flavor.
  • Chickpeas

For the salad you’ll need:

  • Chopped Romain
  • Sliced Cucumber
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Thinly Sliced Salami – my favorite salami is the Calabrese from Columbus Craft Meats because it adds a nice kick of spice to the salad!
  • Shredded Mozzarella
ingredient shot for the Italian chopped salad with all the ingredients measured and ready. In the shot you can find Romain, chickpeas, salami, cucumber, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and all of the dressing ingredients.

How to Make an Italian Chopped Salad

This recipe is really simple to throw together and most of the work can be done ahead of time which makes this recipe great for busy people, meal prepping, entertaining, & more!

Begin by preparing the dressing so the chickpeas can marinate while you prepare the remaining salad ingredients.

For the Dressing

close up shot of the dressing ingredients for the Italian chopped salad: chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, seasonings and parmesan cheese.

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and dijon mustard. Whisk until fully combined, then slowly drizzle in olive oil, while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking in olive oil until dressing thickens. When the dressing coats the back of a spoon, it’s emulsified.

action shot of the Italian chopped salad dressing being made
action shot of the Italian chopped salad dressing being made

Once emulsified, add seasonings and parmesan cheese. Whisk to combine and set aside.

overhead shot of the dressing mixed in a mixing bowl. dressing is seen on the back of the spoon to show the consistency you're looking for when making this recipe.

Before assembling the salad, add 3 tablespoons of the prepared dressing to the chickpeas and set aside for 30 minutes.

chickpeas with dressing in a bowl

For the Salad

Once the dressing has been prepared and the chickpeas have marinated, it’s time to assemble the salad.

italian chopped salad ingredients just before everything gets mixed together.

To finish the salad, combine romain, marinated chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, salami, mozzarella, and remaining dressing. Toss to combine all ingredients and serve.

Italian chopped salad with ingredients unmixed on serving plate. Extra ingredients are in the background

Questions About the Recipe

If I don’t have time to marinade the chickpeas, will they still be good in the salad?

If you don’t have time to marinade the chickpeas, they can sit while you assemble the rest of the salad & will still have the flavor of the dressing. The longer they sit, the more flavor they will take on.

If I wanted to make this for the main course, what other protein can I add?

This salad would be delicious with chopped, roasted turkey or chicken. You could also serve this salad with grilled chicken breast, shrimp, tuna salad or roasted salmon.

Italian chopped salad with ingredients unmixed on serving plate. Extra ingredients are in the background

For more salad recipes, check out my Easy Steak Salad, Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad, or Harvest Chopped Salad

Italian chopped salad with ingredients unmixed on serving plate. Extra ingredients are in the background

Italian Chopped Salad with Marinated Chickpeas

A classic Italian Chopped Salad with marinated chickpeas for an extra boost of flavor. The salad is tossed in a Parmesan vinaigrette for a creamy and tangy bite!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Dressings & Dips, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: chopped salad, easy recipe, entree salad, italian, italian chopped salad, lunch recipes, salad
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 228kcal
Author: Ashley Pelaez Walker

Ingredients

For the Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Basil
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Parsley
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

For the Chopped Salad

  • 1 15 oz can Chickpeas drained, rinsed & tossed in 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing
  • 2 heads Romaine Lettuce thinly sliced
  • 1 pint Cherry Tomato sliced in half
  • ½ Cucumber thinly sliced
  • 3 oz Italian Dry Salami thinly sliced
  • ½ cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

For the Dressing

  • In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and dijon mustard. Whisk until fully combined, then slowly drizzle in olive oil, while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking in olive oil until dressing thickens. When the dressing coats the back of a spoon, it's emulsified.
    3 tablespoons Lemon Juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard, ¼ cup Olive Oil
  • Once emulsified, add seasonings and parmesan cheese. Whisk to combine and set aside.
    ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper, ½ teaspoon Dried Basil, ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme, ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano, ½ teaspoon Dried Parsley, 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

For the Chopped Salad

  • Before assembling the salad, add 3 tablespoons of the prepared dressing to the chickpeas and set aside for 30 minutes.
    1 15 oz can Chickpeas
  • To finish the salad, combine romain, marinated chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, salami, mozzarella, and remaining dressing. Toss to combine all ingredients and serve.
    2 heads Romaine Lettuce, 1 pint Cherry Tomato, ½ Cucumber, 3 oz Italian Dry Salami, ½ cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 653mg | Potassium: 799mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 18661IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 3mg
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Filed Under: Dips, Dressings + Sauces, Entertaining, Mains, Recipes, Side Dishes, Soups + Salads, Weeknight Meals Tagged With: appetizer, healthy, light recipe, party food, salad, salad dressing, summer recipe

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Ashley!

I am the Recipe Developer & Food Photographer behind Millennial Kitchen. I have always had a love for cooking & grew up watching endless hours of the Food Network. This love, paired with my teaching background, gives me the tools to help others gain the confidence they need to feel like a pro in the kitchen! My recipes are simple, but delicious & very approachable for people of any skill level!

 

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