Description
A vibrant and flavorful Ultimate Italian Grinder Salad Sandwich that combines crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce with an assortment of Italian deli meats, fresh vegetables, cheeses, and toasted Italian bread cubes. Tossed in a zesty homemade vinaigrette and optionally enhanced with classic Italian dressing, this no-cook salad delivers the essence of a deli grinder in a refreshing and satisfying salad form, perfect for a quick lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
Greens
- Romaine lettuce, chopped
- Iceberg lettuce, chopped
Meats
- Thinly sliced Genoa salami
- Thinly sliced capicola
- Thinly sliced pepperoni
Cheeses
- Sliced provolone cheese
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
Vegetables & Extras
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Sliced cucumber
- Sliced green bell pepper
- Black olives
- Pepperoncini rings
- Toasted Italian bread cubes
- Fresh basil leaves
Dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Dried oregano
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Italian dressing (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the greens: Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine and iceberg lettuce. Chop them into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large salad bowl to serve as the base of the salad.
- Add the meats: Evenly layer the thinly sliced Genoa salami, capicola, and pepperoni over the chopped lettuce to incorporate authentic Italian flavors.
- Layer cheeses and vegetables: Arrange sliced provolone cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, cucumber slices, green bell pepper slices, black olives, and pepperoncini rings evenly over the meat layer to add color and freshness.
- Add mozzarella and bread cubes: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top for creamy texture. Add a generous handful of toasted Italian bread cubes scattered throughout the salad for crunch.
- Incorporate fresh herbs: Scatter fresh basil leaves evenly across the salad to impart aromatic and fresh herbal notes.
- Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to create a bright and zesty dressing.
- Toss the salad: Drizzle the vinaigrette over the entire salad and toss gently but thoroughly so all ingredients are lightly coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Optional finishing touch: For extra tang and depth of flavor, add a splash of classic Italian dressing if desired and toss again gently.
- Serve: Serve immediately to enjoy the freshness and variety of textures typical of an Italian deli grinder in a salad form.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit all meats and substitute with marinated artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers to maintain depth of flavor.
- Swap provolone cheese for mozzarella chunks or fresh mozzarella balls for a different texture and taste.
- To make this salad gluten-free, skip the toasted Italian bread cubes or replace them with gluten-free croutons.
- The salad holds up well if assembled in advance; keep the dressing separate until ready to serve to maintain crispness.
