Our Favorite Zesty Antipasto Salad

This is a killer recipe for even the pickiest of salad eaters. Originally created for a client as part of a weekend ranch getaway, this quickly became one of their favorite items. They requested it on just about every single party afterwards. It’s crunchy, briny, salty, crisp and fresh, and the addition of salami and provolone cheese give it an added layer of decadence. This salad also uses my go-to Red Wine Vinaigrette recipe which we use for probably 50% of the salads we make at the house. Hope you guys enjoy!

A few notes about the Antipasto Salad

Oil

The trick to making vinaigrettes that don’t get solid in the refrigerator is using grape seed oil. Grape seed oil has a mild flavor, which creates a balanced taste. If you use olive oil, I like to use oils that are lighter and have milder flavors because potent flavors will dominate the dressing. If you make the dressing ahead with olive oil, don’t panic when the dressing solidifies in the fridge. Just let us sit out at room temp for 10 minutes ahead of time and you should be good to go!

Mustard

Mustard helps emulsify the dressing, making it easier for the vinegar and oil to combine. It also gives the vinaigrette a nice tangy bite.  Central Market / H-E-B have THE BEST Dijon and Whole Grain Mustards.

Onions

If your onions are really strong, you can rinse them with cold water after slicing them and let drain. This should take off most of the bite once they get tossed in with the vinaigrette.

Substitutions

There are a lot of ingredients in this salad, and most them can be swapped out for similar products. It’s a great way to use up a lot of odds and ends that are left behind in the fridge!

• Provolone – Can be swapped for diced, fresh mozzarella
• Bell Peppers – Can be swapped for roasted red bell peppers
• Kalamata Olives – Can be swapped for black, green or any kind of olive. Marinated Artichokes can also be subbed.
• Pepperoni & Salami – Can be swapped out for other cured meats. We’ve found the ones that have a pretty firm texture hold up the best. Prosciutto is a little too thin most of the time and ends up clumping. Mortadella makes for a pretty awesome substitution.
• Iceberg Lettuce – Can be swapped for romaine
• Red Cabbage – Can be swapped for radicchio which will make for a more refined, slightly bitter substitution.

Making the Salad Ahead of Time

This salad is a great make ahead salad. It’s perfect for taking to a friends house as a side or to make ahead of time before your dinner guest come over. You can divide this into several containers for meal prep to take for lunch or for a quick dinner. 

You can make the dressing a few days ahead if needed. The vinaigrette keeps good for up to two weeks in the fridge. 

All you need to do is assemble the salad and leave the vinaigrette on the side. Toss together right before serving. Add more dressing, if needed and season with salt and pepper, to taste. You can make this salad a day ahead.

Pairings

Combine this recipe with just about any Italian entree and our homemade Focaccia Bread and you’ve got yourself a perfect dinner! We enjoyed this salad on its own with a nice Sauvignon Blanc and it was a perfect wine pairing. Pinot Grigio or Prosecco would also be great options, but the acidity in our Sauvignon Blanc played beautifully with the tart vinaigrette.

If you like this recipe, try our Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad. 

Recipe

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Antipasto Salad Recipe

July 13, 2021

Servings: 8

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 15 min

Total: 30 min

Difficulty: Easy

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This is a killer recipe for even the pickiest of salad eaters. Originally created for a client as part of a weekend ranch getaway, this quickly became one of their favorite items. They requested it on just about every single party afterwards. It’s crunchy, briny, salty, crisp and fresh, and the addition of salami and provolone cheese give it an added layer of decadence. This salad also uses my go-to Red Wine Vinaigrette recipe which we use for probably 50% of the salads we make at the house. Hope you guys enjoy!

By: Lauren Cook

Ingredients

• *** For the Vinaigrette ***
• 1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Grape-seed Oil (or EVOO)
• 1 Tbsp Dijon or Whole Grain Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Dried Parsley
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• *** For the Salad ***
• 2 Tbsp Capers
• 1/3 Cup Pepperoncini, sliced
• 1/3 Cup Kalamata Olives, sliced
• 15oz Can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 Cup Bell Pepper or Mini Peppers, sliced
• 2 Cups Iceberg Lettuce, Shredded
• 2 Cups Red Cabbage, Shredded
• 1 Cup Provolone Cheese, diced into 1/2 inch squares
• 1/2 Cup Genoa Salami, diced into 1/2 inch squares
• 1/2 Cup Pepperoni, diced into 1/2 inch squares
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

• Step 1 *** For the Vinaigrette ***
• Step 2 Combine all ingredients, except oil in a mixing bowl.
• Step 3 Slowly drizzle oil into the bowl while whisking to emulsify the dressing. If you have an immersion blender, you can use this to blend the ingredients until well combined and emulsified.
• Step 4 *** For the Salad ***
• Step 5 Combine all ingredients in large salad bowl.
• Step 6 Toss with 1/2 Cup of the Vinaigrette.
• Step 7 Add more dressing, if needed and season with salt and pepper to taste.

About the Author

Lauren is a classically trained, professional chef. A culinary school graduate, she has spent time working organic farms in the Italian countryside and was the pastry/sous chef at a high profile restaurant in Dallas prior to becoming a full-time personal chef. Her cooking style is often referred to as “rustic.” Being a personal chef, she is not bound by a single type of cuisine and has had the opportunity to experiment with hundreds of regional recipes from all over the world.