Italian Chopped Salad
Fresh, thinly sliced Kale or Brussels Sprouts get marinated in a sweet garlic dressing to ensure a flavorful bite in every forkful. But the flavor doesn't stop there. Add spicy salami, sweet tomatoes, kalamata olives and pepperocini to create a crunchy flavor explosion. This salad is hearty enough to serve as an entree or as a side. Can you say "Mamma Mia!"?
Ingredients
Dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1-2 tsp honey to taste
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 tsp dijon mustard or to taste
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts or Kale see note below for lettuce options
- 6 oz Genoa or turkey salami thinly sliced and halved or julienned
- 1 ½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- ½ cup Kalamata or black olives pitted and sliced
- ¼ cup pepperoncini sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced or diced
- ¼ cup parmesan or provolone cheese (optional) shaved or shredded
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients until well blended.
- If using Brussels sprouts, trim the ends and remove the outer leaves. If using Kale, remove the leaves from the stems. If using lettuce, see the note at the bottom of the recipe.
- In a food processor use the slicing attachment or a knife pulse or slice the Brussels sprouts until thinly sliced. If using Kale finely chop with a knife.
- Place thinly sliced Brussels sprouts or Kale into a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the sliced greens and use tongs to toss and coat them in the dressing. Allow to sit in the dressing marinade for about 30 minutes.
- While the greens are marinating, chop and prep the remaining salad ingredients.
- Add salad ingredients to the marinated greens and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
If you prefer to use lettuce instead of Brussels sprouts or kale, try Romaine, green leaf or red leaf varieties. With a knife, finely chop the lettuce. DO NOT marinate the lettuce as it will wilt and become limp. Once the lettuce is chopped, add the prepped salad ingredients and top with the dressing. Toss to combine and serve immediately.