Italian Chopped Salad

This Italian chopped salad piles crisp romaine, little ditalini pasta, chickpeas, crispy pancetta, provolone, kalamata olives and tangy pepperoncini into one bowl, then tosses it all in a quick homemade Italian dressing. Every forkful gets a bit of everything, it's hearty enough to be dinner, and it comes together in about 25 minutes.

Think of it as the salad version of your favorite Italian sub. The lettuce keeps it fresh and crunchy, the pasta and chickpeas make it filling, and the salty, briny extras (pancetta, olives, pepperoncini and cheese) give it that big deli flavor. Because everything is chopped into small, similar-sized pieces, you never end up with a plain bite of lettuce at the bottom of the bowl.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Romaine lettuce. Romaine stays crisp under a vinaigrette and chops neatly. Iceberg adds even more crunch, and a mix of romaine and radicchio gives a pretty color and a slightly bitter edge.
• Ditalini pasta. These tiny tubes are about the same size as a chickpea, which is exactly what you want in a chopped salad. Small shells, orzo or elbow macaroni all work too. Rinse the cooked pasta in cold water so it doesn't turn the lettuce limp.
• Chickpeas. They add protein and a nutty bite. One cup is about two-thirds of a 15-ounce can. White cannellini beans are a good swap.
• Pancetta. Crisped pancetta brings a salty, porky crunch. Diced salami, soppressata or pepperoni are just as good and don't need cooking, and crumbled bacon works in a pinch.
• Provolone cheese. Buy a chunk and dice it yourself so you get real cubes. Fresh mozzarella pearls, cubed mozzarella or shaved Parmesan are all tasty alternatives.
• Olives and pepperoncini. Kalamata olives add richness, and pepperoncini bring a mild, tangy heat. Castelvetrano olives or chopped roasted red peppers are nice if you'd like something milder.
• Grape tomatoes. Halved grape or cherry tomatoes hold their shape better than chopped large tomatoes and don't water down the salad.

Homemade Italian Dressing

The dressing is what makes this salad taste like more than the sum of its parts, and it takes about two minutes. Red wine vinegar, a spoonful of minced shallot, a little honey, dried Italian seasoning, salt and pepper go into a small food processor or blender first, so the shallot gets minced very finely and the honey dissolves. Then the olive oil goes in slowly with the machine running, which emulsifies it into a smooth, slightly thick vinaigrette that clings to the lettuce instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

No food processor? Mince the shallot as finely as you can, then shake everything in a jar with a tight lid for 30 seconds. It won't stay emulsified quite as long, so give it another shake right before you pour. The recipe makes about ¾ cup, which is more than two salads need, so you'll have extra for tomorrow's lunch. For a simpler side salad with a different take on the dressing, try our Italian salad with homemade Italian dressing.

Helpful Tips

Chop everything to the same size. The whole point of a chopped salad is getting a little of everything on your fork. Aim for pieces roughly the size of a chickpea or a ditalini noodle. A salad chopper and bowl makes quick work of the lettuce if you make chopped salads often.

Cool the pasta and pancetta completely. Warm pasta or hot pancetta will wilt the romaine in minutes. Rinse the drained pasta under cold water and let the pancetta drain on a paper towel until it's room temperature before you add them to the bowl.

Dry the lettuce well. Water left on the leaves thins the dressing and keeps it from sticking. A salad spinner is the easiest way; otherwise, roll the chopped lettuce up in a clean kitchen towel.

Dress it right before serving. Start with about ⅓ cup of dressing, toss, then add more to taste. A chopped salad has a lot of surface area, so it soaks up dressing fast and can get soggy if it sits.

Taste the dressing before it goes on. Pancetta, olives, provolone and pepperoncini are all salty, so go light on the salt in the dressing and adjust after tasting the finished salad.

Variations

• Italian sub salad. Use salami and pepperoni instead of pancetta, add thinly sliced red onion, and finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan.
• Chicken chopped salad. Add a cup of diced grilled or rotisserie chicken to make it an even heartier main dish.
• Vegetarian. Skip the pancetta and add marinated artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers for plenty of flavor.
• Pasta-free. Leave out the ditalini and add extra chickpeas or diced cucumber to keep it light.
• Party-size. Double everything and serve it in a big bowl with the dressing on the side, or turn it into a full cold Italian pasta salad by swapping the lettuce for more pasta.

Serving Ideas

This recipe makes two large dinner salads, and with pasta, beans, meat and cheese all in the bowl, it really is a meal on its own. Serve it with warm crusty bread or garlic bread for mopping up the extra dressing.

As a side, it serves four and goes with just about any Italian dinner. Try it next to sheet pan Italian sausage and peppers, a big plate of spaghetti with meat sauce, or grilled chicken. For a summer party spread, set it out alongside strawberry caprese skewers and a tray of sliced Italian meats and cheeses.

Make-Ahead & Storing

You can prep almost everything a day ahead. Chop the lettuce, cook and rinse the pasta, crisp the pancetta, and cut the tomatoes, olives and cheese, then keep each in its own container in the fridge. Make the dressing too; it keeps in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. When you're ready to eat, give the dressing a good shake (the olive oil may firm up a bit when cold, so let it sit out for 10 minutes), toss everything together and serve. For grab-and-go lunches, layer the ingredients in jars with the dressing on the bottom, the same way we build a mason jar salad.

Once the salad is dressed, it's best eaten the same day. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day, though the lettuce will soften. This salad doesn't freeze well, since the lettuce, tomatoes and cheese all turn watery when thawed, so plan to make only what you'll eat and keep the extra components separate instead.

More Fresh Salad Recipes

If you loved this chopped salad, here are a few more you might enjoy:

• Panera Greek Salad
• Summer Orzo Salad
• Strawberry Fennel Salad with Homemade Dijon Vinaigrette
• Avocado Salad

Recipe

Italian Chopped Salad

A hearty Italian chopped salad with romaine, ditalini pasta, chickpeas, crispy pancetta, provolone, olives and pepperoncini, tossed in a quick homemade Italian dressing. Makes 2 main-dish or 4 side salads.

4.8 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Appetizers, Salad

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2 main-dish salads

Calories 1011 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Salad:

• 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 cup cooked ditalini pasta about ½ cup (2 oz) dry, rinsed and cooled
• 1 cup chickpeas drained and rinsed (about ⅔ of a 15-oz can)
• ½ cup grape tomatoes halved
• ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives halved
• 2 oz pancetta diced and cooked until crispy (or salami)
• ¼ cup provolone cheese diced
• sliced pepperoncini peppers to taste

Dressing:

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon diced shallot
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• ½ cup olive oil extra-virgin

Instructions

• Cook the ditalini in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water until cool, and drain well.
• Meanwhile, cook the diced pancetta in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool completely.
• Make the dressing: add the red wine vinegar, shallot, honey, Italian seasoning and a pinch each of salt and pepper to a small food processor or blender. Process for about 1 minute, until the shallot is very finely minced.
• With the machine running, pour in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until the dressing is thick and well blended. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. (No food processor? Mince the shallot finely and shake everything in a jar with a tight lid.)
• In a large bowl, combine the romaine, cooled ditalini, chickpeas, tomatoes, olives, pancetta, provolone and pepperoncini.
• Just before serving, drizzle about ⅓ cup of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat, adding more to taste. Divide between 2 plates (or 4 for side salads) and serve with the extra dressing on the side.

Notes

Dressing: the recipe makes about ¾ cup. Start with about ⅓ cup on the salad and add more to taste; refrigerate leftovers in a sealed jar for up to 1 week and shake before using.

Swaps: diced salami or pepperoni can replace the pancetta (no cooking needed). Cannellini beans can replace the chickpeas.

Make ahead: prep all the components up to 1 day ahead and store separately; toss with dressing just before serving.

Nutrition is per main-dish salad and assumes all of the dressing is used.

Nutrition

Calories: 1011kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 20gFat: 75gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 48gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 591mgPotassium: 702mgFiber: 10gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 6712IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 229mgIron: 5mg

Nutrition details are an estimate, per serving.

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