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Chopped Italian Grinder Salad Recipe

Italian Grinder Salad Recipe

A crunchy and savory salad inspired by the classic Italian sub, loaded with cured meats, provolone cheese, and a creamy, tangy dressing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 1 large head of iceberg lettuce finely shredded (about 500g)
  • 100 g Genoa salami finely chopped
  • 100 g mortadella finely chopped
  • 100 g good quality smoked ham finely chopped
  • 150 g provolone cheese finely chopped
  • 1 small red onion very thinly sliced
  • 200 g cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 60 g sliced pepperoncini peppers drained and roughly chopped
For the Creamy Italian Dressing
  • 120 ml mayonnaise
  • 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 60 ml red wine vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp cold water optional, to thin

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the mayonnaise, olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. If it seems too thick, add a tablespoon of cold water. Set it aside for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
  2. Wash and Chop the Lettuce: Wash and thoroughly dry the iceberg lettuce. A salad spinner is excellent for this. Slice the lettuce as finely as you can – this texture is key to the grinder salad experience. Place the shredded lettuce in a very large salad bowl.
  3. Prepare the Remaining Salad Ingredients: Finely chop the salami, mortadella, ham, and provolone cheese into small, confetti-like pieces. Add them to the bowl with the lettuce.
  4. Add the Vegetables: Add the thinly sliced red onion (drained, if you soaked it), quartered cherry tomatoes, and chopped pepperoncini peppers to the bowl.
  5. Combine Gently: Give all the salad ingredients a gentle toss with salad servers to distribute them evenly before adding the dressing.
  6. Dress and Toss: Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad. Toss everything together thoroughly until every single ingredient is lightly coated. What works best for me is using my clean hands to really mix everything together gently but effectively. Add more dressing if needed, to your taste.
  7. Serve Immediately: For the best texture and crunch, serve the Italian Grinder Salad right away.

Notes

For best results, serve immediately after tossing to maintain the crispness of the lettuce. The dressing can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.