This Antipasto Salad is a perfect side dish for pizza night, packed with all your favorite antipasto flavors and topped with an easy Italian salad dressing.
I used to believe that summers were hectic. But now that my kids are a little older, I’m finding it busy all year. Whatever the season, there always seems to be something on the calendar. So dinner time can be challenging at times.
As much as I enjoy trying new recipes, I frequently return to our old favorites to save time and effort. As a result, pizza is frequently on the menu. (Plus, it’s something my entire family enjoys!) And, while I’m perfectly content with pizza for dinner, there are times when I crave something more.
This is where the salad comes in. This Antipasto Salad is loaded with all kinds of goodies – flavorful! To name a few, there are roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, pepperoni, salami, and provolone. Then, in seconds, a simple Italian-inspired dressing comes together to tie everything together. This is one of the simplest salads I’ve ever made – perfect for pizza or any other night!
So, what exactly is Antipasto?
You’ve probably heard of Antipasto, but have you ever wondered what it is?
Antipasto is a simple Italian appetizer comprising cheeses, meats, and olives. There could be anything, but you’re more likely to find Italian meats like salami or prosciutto and cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Mozzarella. There is no correct or incorrect answer, and different versions can be found everywhere.
For this salad, I chose some of my favorites and ingredients that are readily available to me. Pepperoni and salami, provolone, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, and marinated artichoke hearts are just a few of the toppings. I also added red onion, parsley, cherry tomatoes, and pepperoncini peppers for flavor. Remember that you can always add your favorites. This recipe is extremely simple to modify!
Easy Homemade Italian Dressing
Whenever I make my own salad dressing, I wonder why I bought store-bought. It’s really that simple! Here are the ingredients for this homemade Italian Salad Dressing:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Garlic
- Dijon Mustard
- Sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender jar and process until well combined. If you don’t want to use a blender, combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until combined. If I’m taking this salad somewhere, I usually do the second because the dressing can separate immediately. Shaking it back up if it’s still in the jar is simple.
Ingredients
Homemade Italian Dressing:
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salad:
- 8 cups chopped lettuce (I used a mix of read leaf and romaine hearts)
- 1 (7 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
- 1 (6 oz) jar artichoke hearts marinated in oil, chopped
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved
- 1/2 cup diced pepperoni
- 1/2 cup diced salami
- 1/2 cup diced Provolone
- 1/2 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
- pepperonicini peppers
Instructions
- To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and vigorously shake until smooth.
- Toss the lettuce, red peppers, artichoke hearts, red onion, parsley, olives, pepperoni, salami, provolone, and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Toss the salad with the salad dressing to combine. With the pepperoncini peppers, serve.
Read more: Recipe for Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup