Italian appetizer salad
This vibrant Italian appetizer salad is a no-cook delight, featuring crisp romaine, fresh vegetables, savory cured meats, creamy mozzarella, and a simple, tangy dressing. It's quick to assemble, making it perfect for a light lunch, a side dish, or an impressive starter for your Italian-themed meal.
Prep
: 10
Total
: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 4 cups Romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes halved
- 0.5 medium Red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup Green olives pitted and halved
- 0.25 cup Pepperoncini sliced
- 1 cup Roasted red peppers drained and sliced
- 1 cup Giardiniera drained
- 1.5 cups Cucumber peeled and chopped
- 1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese part-skim
- 4 ounces Turkey pepperoni thinly sliced
- 8 slices Prosciutto thinly sliced
Dressing
- 0.25 cup Olive oil
- 0.125 cup Red wine vinegar
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, pitted and halved green olives, sliced pepperoncini, drained and sliced roasted red peppers, drained Giardiniera, chopped cucumber, shredded mozzarella, sliced turkey pepperoni, and thinly sliced prosciutto.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Serve immediately as an appetizer or a light meal. Enjoy!
Notes
This Italian appetizer salad is incredibly versatile. Feel free to customize it with your favorite antipasto items like marinated artichoke hearts, chickpeas, or cubes of provolone cheese. For a bit of heat, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dressing. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, keeping the dressing separate until ready to serve for best freshness.