Zesty Italian Chopped Salad (Printable Version)
Crisp romaine and radicchio tossed with cherry tomatoes, peppers and Parmesan in a bright lemon-red wine vinaigrette.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
02 - 1 cup radicchio, chopped
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
07 - 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
08 - 1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers, sliced
→ Cheese
09 - 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
→ Dressing
10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Optional Additions
19 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
# How To Make:
01 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the romaine lettuce, radicchio, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, yellow bell pepper, and pepperoncini peppers.
02 - Scatter the shaved Parmesan and Kalamata olives over the top of the assembled vegetables.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra shaved Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under twenty minutes with zero cooking required.
- The pepperoncini and red wine vinegar give it a tangy kick that makes people ask for the recipe every single time.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad until the moment you plan to eat it or the lettuce will wilt into a soggy mess within minutes.
- Letting the dressing sit for ten minutes before pouring helps the garlic and oregano bloom into something far more fragrant.
03 -
- Dry your washed greens thoroughly with a kitchen towel before chopping because wet leaves repel dressing and dilute the flavor.
- Shave the Parmesan straight from a cold block for the most beautiful curls that hold their shape on the plate.