This simple chopped Italian antipasto salad starts with an iceberg lettuce wedge topped with salami, cucumbers, tomatoes, and cheese that have been marinated in Italian dressing.
Italian antipasto salad with iceberg lettuce wedge is an easy summer salad.
Serve this easy Italian antipasto salad with chopped iceberg, an iceberg wedge, mixed lettuce, or make a bruschetta appetizer. I personally love it over a chunky wedge of iceberg lettuce (ain't no shame in crispy iceberg!).
Antipasto Explained
Antipasto is an Italian dish that is a first course. Think of it as an appetizer. There is no pasta in antipasto, it's merely a starter and is generally served as a platter. Having said that, this recipe adapts that Antipasto platter into ingredients for an Italian inspired antipasto salad with iceberg wedge lettuce.
Antipasto refers to the Latin word "anti" meaning before and "pastus" which means to feed. Rough translation - before the meal - i.e. - an appetizer.
Traditionally, an Italian antipasti platter (plural because of multiple appetizers) has cured meats, cheese, and marinated vegetables. Each appetizer on the platter is considered antipasto. The platter is considered antipasti because of the multiple appetizers.
Ingredients For Italian Antipasto Salad with Lettuce
Basic ingredients for Italian Antipasto salad recipes include cured meats, different cheeses, and pickled or marinated vegetables.
Feel free to expand on these ingredients and add: red peppers, pepperoncini, various cheeses, olives, pickled condiments, artichokes, anchovies, capers, etc...
Italian antipasto salad recipes have many different variations depending on where you are in Italy. Some antipasti are heavily influenced by seafood, because Italy is basically surrounded by water.
This Italian chopped Antipasto salad is full of tomatoes, cucumbers, and salami marinated in Italian salad dressing and served over crispy iceberg lettuce.
Use Homemade or Store Bought Italian Vinaigrette
Use a pre-made dressing for this Italian antipasto salad with lettuce recipe or make it yourself (recipe below).
Wanna save some time if you're making a homemade vinaigrette? Instead of whisking in the oil last, combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake vigorously. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Antipasto vs. Antipasti vs. Antipasta
Antipasto is singular - like one appetizer
Antipasti is plural - like appetizers.
Antipasta is slangy and a wrong or inaccurate name that is often used instead of the correct word of antipasto or antipasti.
Italian Antipasto Salad with Lettuce
EatSimpleFood.com
This simple chopped Italian antipasto salad starts with an iceberg lettuce wedge topped with salami, cucumbers, tomatoes, and cheese that have been marinated in Italian dressing.
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
Ingredient List Salad:
- 2 medium heads romaine lettuce, chopped
- 4 ounces salami, pepperoni, or ham (or any combination)
- 1 medium cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, diced
- 2 medium diced Roma tomato, seeded, chopped
- ¼ cup red onions, finely diced
- ⅔ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
Ingredient List Dressing (Or use a pre-made Italian):
- ¼ tsp ground onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp dried herb of choice (Herb de Provence, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc…)
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- > ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Make the vinaigrette:
- mix together all dressing ingredients except olive oil in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
- OR use a store bought Italian dressing.
Make the salad:
- In a large bowl combine all ingredients EXCEPT the lettuce.
- Add the dressing.
- Marinate for a couple hours if you have the time.
- Before serving, toss with lettuce and sprinkle with extra Parmesan Cheese if ya like. Happy Eating! Beckie
Notes
Wanna save some time? Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake vigorously. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Cooking Involved
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free, Keto, Low Fat, Low-Carb, Whole30
Things In My Kitchen:
- 3 quart mixing bowl - I love these flat bottomed & wide brimmed mixing bowls for combining ingredients with veggies for roasting and for making salads. The 2 quart and 3 quart are my "go to" bowls for almost everything.
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Serving Suggestion
Serve this Italian antipasto wedge lettuce salad with salami, cucumbers and tomatoes with a complimentary Italian recipe like:
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