gluten-free | dairy-free
This Italian chopped salad is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free—romaine, salami, black olives, pepperoncini, veggies, and a garlicky Italian vinaigrette, ready in 15 minutes. Victoria’s go-to for Monday nights when dinner has to happen fast. It keeps overnight (add fresh romaine the next day), and you can add cheese if you’re dairyful.
It’s 6 pm on a Monday night, and dinner needs to happen, but I am tired and don’t want to cook. I am sure you have experienced a similar situation. That’s when a tried-and-true, quick, and easy recipe is a critical element to have in your cooking toolkit. And this is one of those recipes.
I nearly always have the ingredients for this salad on hand because, well, life! And this salad is not one of those recipes you think “oh, it’s quick and it will be okay.” No, it is one that you will be excited to make and even more thrilled to eat.
As with any recipe, use it as a guideline and change whatever you like to suit your tastes. Add different veggies or meats. Add cheese if you are dairyful. Use a different dressing or leave out the mayo. It’s your salad!!
I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do. Oh, even dressed, it is wonderful to eat the next day after overnight in the fridge. I usually will add a bit more romaine to balance out the dressing, though.
Now, go eat something amazing!
GF DF Italian Chopped Salad
The Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Marconi Mild Giardiniera
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 24 black olives, sliced or chopped
- 4 slices ham, chopped
- 4 slices pepperoni, chopped
- 4 slices salami, hard or Genoa, chopped
- 1/4 cup House Italian Vinaigrette Dressing, or similar Italian dressing
- 1 1/2 tsp mayonnaise
- sprinkle dried oregano
The Process
Chop Chop
- Slice/chop the romaine, onions, olives, tomatoes, and meats and add to a large bowl. Using a tong, combine well.
Make the Dressing Creamy
- Add 1/4 cup of Italian dressing to a measuring cup. Add the mayo and mix well with a whisk.
Finish the Salad
- Leave the salad in the bowl you mixed it in or transfer to a large serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad. Add the Giardiniera evenly over the salad and sprinkle with oregano. Enjoy!