Antipasto Salad
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My antipasto salad turns the classic Italian platter into a vibrant, crowd-pleasing dish, loaded with all the ingredients you love and tossed in a zesty vinaigrette. Serve it on its own or alongside pizza for an easy, flavor-packed dinner.
My antipasto salad is everything you love about the classic antipasto platter, reimagined as a fresh, crave-worthy salad. This version is loaded with marinated olives and artichokes, two types of cheese, pickled red onions, cured meats, fresh veggies, and crisp romaine all tossed in a garlicky Italian vinaigrette that packs a punch.
You can serve it as a light main course or side dish with stromboli, grilled chicken, or steak. But my favorite way to enjoy it? With takeout pizza! It’s the perfect shortcut for busy weeknights or effortless entertaining—just order a few of your favorite pies, toss this salad together, and finish with a quick homemade dessert. It’s a stress-free way to host and impress your guests without spending hours in the kitchen.
“I made this tonight for dinner…such great flavors, especially liked the pickled onions.”
What You’ll Need To Make Antipasto Salad
- Red Onion: Gets a quick pickle to mellow the bite and add a sweet-tangy crunch throughout the salad.
- Red Wine Vinaigrette: A punchy mix of red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, and olive oil that ties all the bold flavors together.
- Romaine Lettuce: The crisp, fresh base that holds up well under all the hearty toppings.
- Olives & Jarred Marinated Artichoke Hearts: Briny, tangy, and full of flavor — they add depth and a little bite throughout the salad. (I get the blend of green and Kalamata olives from the olive bar at the supermarket.)
- Cherry Tomatoes & Bell Peppers: Sweet, juicy, and crisp, giving pops of freshness in every bite.
- Salami and/or Pepperoni: Salty, savory, and classic. Use one or both, depending on what you’ve got.
- Canned Chickpeas: Hearty, creamy, and full of protein—an easy way to make the salad more filling.
- Mozzarella Pearls & Sharp Provolone Cheese: The creamy-mild mozzarella balances the sharp bite of provolone. Together, they make the salad feel more substantial and satisfying.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Pickle the onions. In a small saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil. Add the onions and simmer for about 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and let cool on a plate. You can use them immediately or store them in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Step 2: Mix the vinaigrette base. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, sugar, and pepper. Make sure to whisk thoroughly so the seasonings distribute evenly before adding the oil.
Step 3: Add the oil. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil until the dressing is nicely blended and emulsified. This helps it stay blended and keeps it from separating. Use the vinaigrette right away or stash it in the fridge for a few days.
Step 4: Assemble the salad. In a big bowl, toss together the veggies, meats, cheeses, pickled onions, and dressing. Mix well, taste, adjust seasoning if needed, and enjoy!
More Salad Recipes You May Like
Antipasto Salad
Turn your favorite Italian appetizer into a hearty salad, complete with tangy pickled onions, marinated artichokes, cheeses, and salty meats.
Ingredients
For the Pickled Red Onion
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced (cut in half first, if desired)
For the Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the Salad
- 8 cups chopped romaine, from 2 hearts
- ⅔ cup marinated/seasoned pitted olives, coarsely chopped (see note)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces sliced salami and/or pepperoni
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 heaping cup or 1 (6-oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained (see note)
- 1 (8-oz) package mozzarella pearls
- 1½ cups coarsely shredded sharp Provolone
Instructions
- Make the Pickled Onions: In a small saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil. Add the onion and simmer until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Make the Vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, sugar, and pepper. While whisking, slowly pour in the oil to form an emulsion.
- Make the Salad: In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients. Add the dressing and pickled onions and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The pickled onions and vinaigrette can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in covered containers in the refrigerator.
- Notes: For the olives and artichokes, the olive bar at the supermarket is your best option (I use the kalamata/green olive blend).
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 813
- Fat: 65 g
- Saturated fat: 21 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Sodium: 1,405 mg
- Cholesterol: 89 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn, I’ve tried so many of your recipes and love them all. I couldn’t, however, get provolone. I read that Swiss can be a substitute but that seems like a strange choice for this salad. What would you suggest?
Thank you! 😊
Hi Kelly, so glad you like the recipes! I’d go with either parmigiano reggianoo or parmigiano. Enjoy!
How did I miss this earlier…looks delicious and pretty healthy (I won’t be eliminating the cheese and meat.) In fact, with a nice crusty bread, it looks like a summer meal. I like adding your great pickled red onion to my salads. Since I found the recipe in your first cookbook, I make it every week.
When storing the red onions before processing the salad. Do you leave it in the refrigerator with the marinade that you just boiled it in or do you take them out of the marinade? And put in refrigerator.
Thank you
Sandie
Hi Sandie, you remove them from the marinade prior to refrigerating. Hope you enjoy the salad!
Hi Jen and community!
If I skip both, cheese and meat, will this work without any adjustments?
I want to bring this salad to a new year party…
Hi Natalie, while technically you could omit both the cheese and meat, they’re definitely highlights in the salad. If you’re looking for an Italian salad to bring, I’d recommend this one instead.
This is a great salad just as written – but it is so flexible feel I could make this weekly with some variations and be a really happy cook. Thanks
This salad is excellent. It is so hearty it can be used as a main course, with some crunchy sour dough. Loved it!
This salad was healthy and delicious. I asked for a chunk of Boars Head provolone from the Publix deli ( the meat and cheese cut to order section) then grated it at home
I never stray from a recipe as written – my cooking instincts are terrible! So I used chickpeas even though they’re not my favorite. This salad may have turned me into a chickpea convert! Delicious 😋
In my experience, people who don’t like chickpeas usually like them in Italian & Greek-style salads. Love them in this application! Delicious! Another win from @onceuponachef😍
(it’s delicious without the meat)