Italian Antipasto Salad
This Italian Antipasto Salad recipe is a crowd-pleaser packed with the inspired flavors of Italy. Featuring a mix of mozzarella, deli meats, artichoke hearts, olives, and fresh vegetables tossed with romaine and arugula in a lemony dressing, it’s a meal-worthy salad that's perfect for all of your summer gatherings.
Servings 6
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine or champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese (or Parmigiana Reggiano)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried italian herb blend
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar or honey
For the salad:
- 3 ounces romaine lettuce leaves
- 2 ounces baby arugula
- 4 ounces small fresh mozzarella balls (Ciliegine or pearls)
- 2 ounces Genoa salami, sliced into quarters (about 10 slices)
- 2 ounces pepperoni, sliced into quarters (about 14 slices)
- 6 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
- 5 ounces olives* (16 olives or so)
- 1 roasted red pepper**
- 2 tablespoons slivered red onions
- 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup sliced mild banana peppers or pepperoncini
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Combine all ingredients into a lidded jar and shake well to blend. Or, use an immersion blender or a bullet blender. Set aside, or store in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the salad:
- Chop the greens into small, bite-sized pieces. (If serving decoratively on a platter, you can use extra romaine leaves to line the outer edges of the plate, as seen in the photos on the blog post.)
- Place the greens in a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Toss to distribute everything evenly.
- Drizzle a bit of the salad dressing over the top and toss to coat. Repeat until the salad is lightly coated with the dressing. Serve the remaining dressing with the meal.
Notes
* A mix of olives is nice. Here, I used kalamata and castelvetrano
** You can buy roasted red peppers packed in water, either sliced or whole. If buying them sliced, use 2 or 3 heaping tablespoons. If whole, one will do.