Salads

Italian

Antipasto Salad

Romaine is loaded with prosciutto, salami or pepperoni, artichokes, olives and pickled peppers, then tossed with Italian dressing.

What It Is

Romaine is loaded with prosciutto, salami or pepperoni, artichokes, olives and pickled peppers, then tossed with Italian dressing.

Origin

Antipasto is Italian for the course served before the meal; this version turns those familiar flavours into a full salad.

Fun Fact

Aroma changes how strongly we perceive flavour, which is why herbs, citrus peel and warm spices can make a simple recipe taste far more complicated than the effort involved.

Prep

15 min

Cook

—

Total

15 min

Servings

6 salad bowls

(or 1, if you don't believe in sharing)

Difficulty

easy

Diet

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free

Away Mission

80 min walk

(equivalent to explaining humour to Data, twice)

#antipasto-salad #italian #salads #spoon-and-scribble

Ingredients

1 large head romaine, chopped
4 oz prosciutto
4 oz salami or pepperoni
½ cup artichoke hearts
½ cup mixed olives
½ cup pickled or roasted peppers
Italian dressing, to taste

Steps

Combine romaine, cured meats, artichokes, olives and peppers in a large bowl.
Toss with Italian dressing to taste.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Taste before the final adjustment. A recipe should guide dinner, not bully it. If it needs a little more acid, sweetness, salt or heat, make the change in small steps instead of launching the whole spice rack into orbit.

Nutrition Facts

Per 1 salad bowl

Calories 360

Burning this off: about a full driveway of January snow, shovelled with feeling.

% Daily Value*

Fat 16.0 g 21%

Saturated + Trans 5 g 25%

Cholesterol 40 mg

Sodium 650 mg 28%

Carbohydrate 41.0 g

Fibre 2.0 g 7%

Sugars 38.0 g 38%

Protein 15.0 g

Potassium 450 mg 10%

Calcium 35 mg 3%

Iron 1.4 mg 8%

*5% or less is a little, 15% or more is a lot. Sodium levels calculated in a country with universal healthcare — and it's free, so don't worry about it too much.

A genuinely respectable nutrition profile. No red flags here — go ahead and feel a little smug about it.

Substitutions

Use equivalent ingredients where needed for allergies or availability, but keep the main sweet/sour/salty/spicy balance intact. This is cooking, not a hostage negotiation.

Storage

Keep the dressing separate and refrigerate the salad components for up to 2 days. Add dressing right before serving unless wilted romaine is part of your artistic vision.

Freezing

Freeze cooked components in airtight meal-sized portions for up to 2–3 months where practical. Fresh vegetables, dairy sauces and crunchy toppings are usually better added after thawing.