Description
One of my favorite salads of ALL time, this italian chopped salad is the perfect meal to prep for a week of lunches or even as a great hearty, yet still light dinner. Mix up all the "toppings" with the garlicky dressing ahead of time to really let the flavors come together!
Ingredients
- 5 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon pepperoncini juice (optional)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 lb salami, cut into small cubes or strips
- 1/4 lb provolone cheese, cut into small cubes or strips
- 5-10 pepperoncini peppers, chopped
- 1 small red onion or shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/2 lb tomatoes, cubed (halve if using cherry tomatoes)
- 8 cups shredded/chopped greens (I used iceberg lettuce and radicchio)
Instructions
- In a large bowl add 5 minced or grated garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano (or you can replace the fresh with another 2 teaspoons dried), 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon pepperoncini juice (if using), 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Whisk to combine well.
- Slowly add in 6 tablespoons of olive oil while whisking to create a thick, almost-creamy dressing. Alternatively, you can add everything to a jar and shake to make this dressing. This will taste VERY strong on it's own, but that's the way you want it!
- Add 1 can of chickpeas to the dressing, along with 1/4 lb chopped salami, 1/4 lb chopped provolone cheese, 1 small thinly sliced red onion and chopped pepperoncini peppers. Gently mix to combine everything together.
- To serve: Divide chopped greens among bowls. Top with a generous amount of the dressing mixture and halved cherry tomatoes. Enjoy!
Recipe inspired by and adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Nancy Silverton
Notes
- This is the most perfect meal-prep salad you've ever met. To make this ahead of time, you have a couple of options:
- Follow steps 1-3 and then transfer everything to an airtight container. Prep your greens and tomatoes as well and store those separately. Combine everything together when ready to eat.
- To prep individual servings, still follow steps 1-3 and then divide among containers. Add the sliced tomatoes on top, followed by greens. This will keep the greens from wilting at all.