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!
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.
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
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
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.
Once emulsified, add seasonings and parmesan cheese. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Before assembling the salad, add 3 tablespoons of the prepared dressing to the chickpeas and set aside for 30 minutes.
For the Salad
Once the dressing has been prepared and the chickpeas have marinated, it’s time to assemble the salad.
To finish the salad, combine romain, marinated chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, salami, mozzarella, and remaining dressing. Toss to combine all ingredients and serve.
Questions About the Recipe
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.
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.
For more salad recipes, check out my Easy Steak Salad, Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad, or Harvest Chopped Salad
Italian Chopped Salad with Marinated Chickpeas
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
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