Loaded Italian Sub Salad
This is the chopped salad you'd get at an Italian deli but way more loaded with meat, cheese, and vegetables. It's big enough to serve as dinner salads for 4-6 people with leftovers or as a side for a cookout.
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, sliced into wide strips then chopped
- 1 head radicchio, halved, cored, and chopped
- 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sliced peperoncini peppers
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup pitted Italian green olives, sliced
- Half a large cucumber, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 6 fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin strips
Meats and Cheeses
- ~5 oz sharp provolone cheese, small-cubed or cut into matchsticks
- ~2.5 oz shaved Pecorino Romano cheese
- ~5 oz Genoa salami, thick dinner-cut, sliced into strips
- ~3 oz pepperoni, small-cubed or cut into short strips
- ~3 oz smoked ham, small-cubed or cut into short strips
Dressing
- 6 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp peperoncini brine
- 1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove, pressed
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
- 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste
Instructions
- Slice iceberg lettuce into wide strips then chop, rinse and pat completely dry.
- Halve radicchio, remove core, chop into bite-sized pieces, rinse and pat dry.
- Cut provolone into small cubes or matchsticks.
- Shave Pecorino Romano using a box grater or use pre-shaved cheese.
- Cut salami, pepperoni, and ham into small cubes or thin strips.
- Slice cherry tomatoes, peperoncini, roasted red peppers, olives, and cucumber into bite-sized pieces.
- Thinly slice red onion and cut into small pieces.
- Slice basil leaves into thin strips.
- Whisk together mayonnaise, peperoncini brine, red wine vinegar, pressed garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, sugar, and black pepper in a jar or bowl.
- Slowly whisk in olive oil until dressing is creamy and emulsified.
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or add more olive oil as needed.
- Toss iceberg and radicchio in a large bowl with a small amount of dressing.
- Add remaining salad ingredients and lightly drizzle with more dressing, then toss to combine.
- Serve with remaining dressing on the side for individual servings.
Notes
Keep greens completely dry so dressing adheres properly. Use about one-third to one-half of dressing for initial toss. Salad keeps in fridge for one day but greens will wilt if dressed too heavily.