This Italian Antipasto Salad is packed with so much flavor, color, and texture. It’s filled with romaine lettuce, creamy havarti cheese, spicy pepperoni, bright and tangy kalmata olives and pepperchinis, crunchy pistachios, fresh cherry tomatoes and chunks of avocado. It’s all tossed together in a homemade light lemon olive oil dressing. Salad Perfection!
Jump to Recipe
Everyone’s Fav Italian Salad
This salad is sure to please! It’s filled with so much flavors, color, and texture.
An antipasto is an Italian appetizer consisting of an assortment of foods such as cured meats, cheeses, and olives. It’s essentially an Italian charcuterie board. I took all of those flavors along with some other goodies to create a new, show stopping salad. It’s all finished with a bright, tangy dressing. It’s fresh, bright, and totally addictive!
This salad works wonderfully on it’s own to perfect for pizza night! it also pairs great with a juicy, bolder pinot noir or crisp white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc.
Ingredients in an Italian Antipasto Salad
Here’s what you’ll need to create this salad:
- romaine lettuce, it’s a heartier lettuce with a little crunch that can hold up all the toppings.
- spiced salami (I used Volpi Sopressata), adds a spicy, rich element that really brings pops of umami and flavor to the salad.
- cubed havarti cheese, it’s a creamy, mild but still flavorful cheese. Cutting it into cubes allows it be more present in the salad and makes for delicious surprises as you eat it!
- kalamata olives, for their tangy, richness
- sliced avocado, I love the creaminess it adds to the salad.
- pistachios, adds that crunch element any good salad need!
- pepperchinis, for that tangy, pickled goodness.
- sliced red onion, for a little extra color and sharp bite!
- cherry tomatoes, for more color and bright, juicy goodness!
How to make this salad.
We’ll start with the bright lemon dressing. It’s a combination of fresh lemon, olive oil, salt + Italian seasonings, fresh minced garlic, floral honey, some tangy dijon, a touch of Worcestershire sauce. You simply add all of the ingredients to a jar with lid or salad shaker and shake it up until emulsified.
Next, we’ll build our salad. Add the romaine to a salad bowl and top with all the ingredients. For a pretty effect, I like to group the salads in sections. It shows all the flavors, plus looks fresh and vibrant. When ready to serve, touch with desired amount of dressing. Viola!
Is this salad healthy?!
Yes! It’s packed with superfoods and nutritious ingredients. There’s pistachios, which are full of healthy fats and bursting with fiber and antioxidants. The salad also contains avocado, which is another healthy fat and contains tons of potassium and vitamin E. You’ll also find other nutritious veggies and fruits, like romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes. Plus, it’s all finished with a homemade dressing made with only real, ingredients (and refined sugar free!).
Other delicious, vibrant salad
- Cherry kale salad with tahini balsamic dressing
- Italian chopped salad with smoked mozzarella flatbread
- Healthy chicken Caesar wraps
- Magic steak bowls with lemon turmeric dressing
Enjoy!
This salad takes a classic and delicious Italian appetizer spread and turns it into a knock out salad. Trust me when I say you need to make this one!
If you make this Italian Antipasto Salad, please leave a comment below. I absolutely love to hear from you guys and your thoughts on my recipes. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or pin it on pinterest, cuz sharing is caring!
Italian Antipasto Salad
Ingredients
Lemon Herb Dressing
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt more or less to taste
- Pepper desired amount
- 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1-2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- Dashes Worcestershire
- 1 tsp. honey dijon or reg dijon
Salad
- 5 cups chopped romaine about 3 heads of romaine
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 6 ounces sliced spiced salami like pepperoni or Volpi Sopressata
- 4 ounces haravti cubed
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup sliced pepperonis
- 3 tablespoons crushed pistachios
Instructions
-
For the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a salad shaker and shake until emulsified and well-combined.
-
For the salad, add the romaine to a salad bowl. Top with remaining ingredients.
-
When ready to swerve, toss with desired amount of dressing.
-
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
You can change any of the salad topping measurements to your liking (i.e., if you like more cheese, add more or if you like less salami, add less!) This salad is customizable to your liking.
