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:Â 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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I used this recipe as a base, but made the dressing as written.
Great to play with. I used some cooked penne, some salad greens, tomatoes, peppers, mozarella and parmiggiano, italian salami, olives, capers,… The kids did not eat the olives, but I knew it 😉
The pickled onions are great, as is the dressing. I recommend both!
The rest can be adjusted to taste – or fridge contents 😉 😀
This recipe was an absolute hit at the anniversary party I took it to. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you for sharing your recipes. Tracy, June 11, 2023
Could this dressing be made with shallots instead of garlic and still be tasty? I know it’s unpopular to say this but I am just not a fan of raw garlic. Salad looks delicious.
Sure, Jane, if you really don’t like garlic, it’s fine to use shallots. Hope you enjoy1
Fantastic salad. Everyone loved it. Omitted the Artichokes as not a fan.
This salad was outstanding! Has ingredient flexibility. Added Kalamata olives and porcini pepper strips. Used bottled Kraft Greek salad dressing instead of making it fresh. Can definitely be a full dinner.
Made this tonight for dinner…..absolutely wonderful! I bought slices of provolone and cut them into thin strips as a block of provolone, for shredding, was not readily available at the grocery store. Going to have it again tomorrow for lunch!
Your email arrived this morning with this recipe featured. I am always eager to try a new-to-me salad as my husband and I really like salads for dinner in the summertime. This one did not disappoint! We both enjoyed it immensely! I thought I had a red pepper but did not so I left that out. Couldn’t find provolone at my grocery store but substitute caciocavallo, which is sufficiently similar. Used lovely, flavourful moroccan black olives. Those pickled onions are great. Every bite was a new adventure. Thank you for another winner dinner.
I made this tonight for dinner…such great flavors, especially liked the pickled onions.
Subbed a small chicken cutlet cubed for the pepperoni tonight, but may add it in the next time I eat it.
Thanks for another great recipe!
Made this today and it was wonderful! I knew it would be good…..since every recipe I’ve made from this website has been very good!
Thank you for putting this and your artisan bread out in your newsletter today! They make a fabulous dinner combination. These will go on my menu list for next week!
I was just thinking the same! Thanks so much Jenn!