Italian Chopped Salad (2024)

Published: July 18, 2017Updated: June 30, 2022Author: Amy

This Italian Chopped Salad is a light, yet hearty salad that tastes like your favorite Italian sub sandwich but with pasta instead of the bread!

Don’t miss our othersalad recipesfor all your summer entertaining!

Italian Chopped Salad Recipe

This Italian Chopped Salad is one of my all-time favorites – I make it often since I always have the ingredients on hand. So flavorful and healthy, and since the ingredients are all chopped, every bite has all the goodies!

Perfectly served on its own since it’s hearty and filling, but wonderful as a side dish, too. It tastes like a fantastic Italian sub sandwich, but with pasta in place of the bread. I often bring it to summer barbecues and potlucks. Everyone loves it!

Ingredients Needed

Chopped Italian Salad Ingredients include the following:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

• Pasta – Ditalini is the base of this salad and one of my favorite tiny noodles. If you can’t find it, macaroni is a good substitute.
• Lettuce – Romaine is fresh crisp, and a beautiful green. You could also use iceberg and/or spinach.
• Chickpeas – Canned for ease.
• Summer sausage – We love this meat in salads. It’s a little tangy and so delicious. If you need the salad to be vegetarian, simply omit it.
• Provolone – This cheese is mild and buttery, with a subtle nutty flavor. We love it. Mozzarella can be used instead, if you prefer.
• Cherry tomatoes – These sweet juicy gems balance out the crisp lettuce and pasta.
• Marinated artichoke hearts – Wonderfully tangy, citrus-y, and earthy, we love these in this salad.
• Pimento stuffed olives – These add a nice salty, zesty flavor. Olives not your thing? Leave them out.
• Green onions – For a subtle onion, peppery flavor.
• Dressing – We use our favorite homemade Italian Dressing, which is a simple vinaigrette made with olive oil,red wine vinegar, Parmesan cheese,honey, lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and ourItalian Seasoning blend. It’s light, bright, and super easy to whip up.

Video: How to Make Italian Chopped Salad

To make this Italian Chopped Salad recipe, simply scroll down to the printable recipe card for details and measurements, and don’t miss the video below.

Make Ahead and Storing Leftovers

• The dressing. The dressing can be made up to 1 week in advance, so the day you assemble the salad is even quicker. Give it a vigorous shake, to reincorporate all the ingredients, before pouring over the salad.
• Storing leftovers. Once the salad is assembled and dressed, it needs to be refrigerated in an airtight container (if not serving right away.) Same goes for leftovers. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, the longer it sits, the longer the pasta soaks up the dressing and can become mushy and the lettuce loses all its crunch. We prefer this salad served a couple hours after it’s prepared.

More Pasta Salad Recipes:

• Greek Pasta Salad
• Cashew Chicken Pasta Salad
• Chicken Broccoli Pasta Salad
• Cowboy Pasta Salad
• Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onTikTok,Facebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!