Italian Chopped Salad With Ham
This Italian Chopped Salad With Ham is a bold, crunchy, flavor-packed meal featuring crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce, savory diced ham, creamy provolone, pepperoncini, olives, and juicy cherry tomatoes tossed in a zesty homemade Italian dressing. Ready in about 15 minutes with zero cooking, it's the perfect fresh and satisfying spring dinner.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 390kcal
Cost: 2
Equipment
- large salad bowl
- cutting board
- Chef's knife
- mixing bowl or jar for dressing
- salad tongs
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/4 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 200 g thick-cut deli ham, diced
- 100 g provolone cheese, cubed
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 6-8 pepperoncini peppers, sliced into rings
- 1 handful Kalamata olives
- 1 can chickpeas, drained (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, sugar, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is well combined.
- Chop the romaine and iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large salad bowl.
- Dice the ham into small cubes and add it to the bowl with the lettuce.
- Cube the provolone cheese into bite-sized pieces and add it to the bowl.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, pepperoncini rings, and olives to the salad bowl.
- If using, add the drained chickpeas to the bowl for extra protein and heartiness.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well with salad tongs until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, vinegar, or olive oil if needed.
- Serve immediately in wide bowls and finish with a sprinkle of dried oregano and fresh cracked black pepper.
Notes
Dress the salad right before serving to keep the lettuce crisp. Pat olives and pepperoncini dry before adding them to avoid watering down the dressing. For extra heartiness, add drained chickpeas or toss the salad with cooked pasta to turn it into a pasta salad. Store dressing separately if meal prepping.