Antipasto Salad

This delectable Antipasto Salad combines crisp romaine, sweet tomatoes, marinated artichokes, soft mozzarella pearls, Kalamata olives, cherry peppers, pepperoncini, and salami. Then it is drizzled with a tasty Italian oil-and-vinegar dressing.

Make this delicious salad ahead of time for easy meal prep. With a variety of flavors and textures, it’s the perfect dish to bring to a party or pack for lunch. It is typically served as the first course of a traditional Italian meal. However, I love serving this tasty salad on hot summer evenings when turning on the stove isn’t ideal. Serve this hearty low-carb salad as a meal or a side dish with pasta pomodoro or chicken parmesan.

What Is Antipasto Salad

Antipasto salad is a traditional first course of an Italian meal. It typically consists of Italian cured meats, cheeses, olives, and veggies, served with a light oil-and-vinegar homemade Italian dressing. Serve with or without greens, but I prefer mine with them as they give it a well-balanced texture.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.

• Vinegar: Red wine or white wine vinegar.
• Vegetables: Garlic, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, fresh or marinated artichoke hearts, cherry peppers, and pepperoncini.
• Seasonings and herbs: Dried oregano, dried or fresh basil, salt, and black pepper
• Lemon juice: Fresh is always best.
• Mozzarella: For optimal taste, use fresh mozzarella, such as pearls, balls, or cubes. If you can’t find them, buy a chunk and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
• Olives: Kalamata or manzanilla olives
• Salami: I use excellent-quality Italian salami. I am fortunate to have a grocery store within driving distance with a fair selection of quality cheese and cured sausages.
• Fresh herbs: Use basil, parsley, thyme, and chives.

How To Make Antipasto Salad

This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.

1. Whisk the red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.
2. On a large platter, drizzle the vinaigrette over the romaine lettuce and toss to coat.
3. Top with the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, mozzarella pearls, Kalamata olives, cherry peppers, pepperoncini, and salami. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top. Sprinkle with fresh basil ribbons.

Recipe Variations

• Marinated vegetables, such as artichoke hearts or hearts of palm, add flavor, depth, and texture.
• Other ingredients to add or substitute in the salad are pepperoni, cherry tomatoes, black olives, green olives, red onion, Parmesan cheese, red peppers, or Provolone cheese.
• For added protein, try prosciutto or pepperoni.

More Salad Recipes

Antipasto Salad Recipe

This tasty and zesty Antipasto Salad combines crisp romaine, sweet tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, soft mozzarella pearls, Kalamata olives, cherry peppers, pepperoncini, and salami all drizzled with a tasty homemade vinaigrette. 

5 from 33 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 324kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Antipasto Salad

• 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
• 1 7.5 ounce jar grilled marinated artichoke hearts drained
• 8 ounces mozzarella pearls or mozzarella balls
• ⅔ cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 cup assorted sweet cherry peppers and peperoncini
• 8 ounces chopped genoa salami
• Fresh basil for ribbons

Instructions

• Add the red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil to a mason jar.  Shake to combine.
• Add the chopped romaine to a large serving bowl. Drizzle about half of the dressing over the romaine lettuce and toss to coat.  Top with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, mozzarella pearls, Kalamata olives, cherry peppers, peperoncini, and salami.
• Drizzle with the remaining dressing, Top with fresh basil ribbons, and serve.

Notes

• The dressing can be mixed up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 1088mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4559IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 2mg

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