Big Italian Chopped Salad
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Aug 12, 2026 
This Italian chopped salad is loaded with salami, provolone, artichoke hearts, and chickpeas, all tossed in a honey Dijon vinaigrette. It’s a no-cook, 20-minute side dish that’s hearty enough to stand on its own!
Italian Chopped Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
Okaaaay, I am SO excited about this chopped Italian salad because it tastes like something you’d order at a good Italian restaurant, but it comes together at home in about 20 minutes with no cooking! The combination of salami, provolone, artichoke hearts, and chickpeas gives it real staying power, so it’s filling enough to be dinner on its own without feeling heavy.
The dressing is my “secret” to making all those bold ingredients sing together, and whisking the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon, and oregano right in the serving bowl means one less dish to wash, and the honey softens the sharp edges of the vinegar just enough without tipping into sweet. Trust me, THIS is what to bring when someone asks you to “bring a salad,” and the flavor + texture combo will have everyone asking you for the recipe.
Just be sure to chop everything small and consistently so you get a little of each ingredient in every bite! This is the perfect salad to serve with baked pasta dishes like stuffed shells with ground beef or baked ziti, which makes for the ultimate Italian dinner that everyone will love.
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make a Chopped Romaine Salad!
Robyn’s Testing Tips for the Perfect Chopped Salad
- Drain the artichoke hearts and chickpeas really well before adding them. Excess liquid dilutes the dressing and makes the whole bowl watery fast, so I press the artichokes between paper towels and give the chickpeas a good shake in the strainer.
- Whisk the dressing in the serving bowl before adding anything else. It coats the bowl so the first ingredients you add get dressed immediately, and you end up with more even coverage without needing to toss as aggressively.
- Slice the red onion as thin as you can and add it early so it sits in the dressing while you prep everything else. A few minutes in the vinegar mellows the sharp bite considerably, which makes the whole salad more balanced.
- Dress and serve this one immediately. Unlike grain salads or bean salads, the romaine wilts quickly once dressed, so I toss right before I’m ready to eat and don’t let it sit.
Big Italian Chopped Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Salad
- 2 medium romaine hearts, finely chopped (about 8 cups)
- 3 ounces salami, sliced ¼-inch thick and cut into strips or quarters (about 1 cup)
- 4 ounces provolone, sliced ¼-inch thick and cut into strips or quarters (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 cup English cucumber, small diced
- ¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup pepperoncini, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, well drained and roughly chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and well drained
- ½ cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Equipment
- Large Bowl
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: In a very large bowl (the same bowl you’ll serve the salad in), whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Assemble: Add the romaine, salami, provolone, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, pepperoncini, olives, artichoke hearts, and chickpeas to the bowl, tossing until all the ingredients are combined and coating in the dressing.
- Add the Parmesan and toss again until everything is evenly coated and combined. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The key to a great chopped salad is uniform size, so aim to chop or cut everything into roughly the same ¼-inch pieces so every forkful has a little of everything.
- Don’t dress the salad until right before serving, as the romaine will wilt quickly once dressed. If making ahead, prep all the dressing, do the chopping, and refrigerate separately, then toss with dressing just before eating.
