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Italian Grinder Salad

A deconstructed version of the classic Italian sub sandwich, this chopped salad is packed with genoa salami, mortadella, ham, provolone, crisp veggies, and a tangy homemade Italian dressing.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 485

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 1 large head romaine lettuce chopped
  • 6 oz genoa salami cut into strips
  • 4 oz mortadella cut into strips
  • 4 oz ham cut into strips
  • 6 oz provolone cheese cut into cubes
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved
  • 1 medium English cucumber chopped
  • 0.5 medium red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 cup pepperoncini sliced
  • 0.5 cup sliced black olives
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
For the Homemade Italian Dressing
  • 0.75 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 0.25 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp pepperoncini brine
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp honey or sugar
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes optional

Equipment

  • Large Salad Bowl
  • Cutting board
  • Chef’s knife
  • Mason Jar or Small Bowl for Dressing

Method
 

  1. Make the Dressing: In a bowl or jar, whisk together red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon, oregano, honey, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and pepperoncini brine. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly until emulsified.
  2. Prepare Ingredients: Stack the genoa salami, mortadella, and ham and cut into thin strips or small cubes. Cut the provolone cheese into similar-sized cubes.
  3. Chop Vegetables: Chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Halve the tomatoes, chop the cucumber, and thinly slice the red onion.
  4. Assemble Salad: In a large salad bowl, add the chopped romaine. Layer the meats, provolone, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, pepperoncini, and black olives on top.
  5. Toss with Dressing: Just before serving, pour about 3/4 of the dressing over the salad. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients.
  6. Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the salad. Give one final gentle toss. Serve immediately for the best texture.

Notes

For a make-ahead salad, store the dressing, chopped lettuce/tomatoes, and the mixture of meats/cheeses/other veggies separately. Combine and toss just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp.