Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad

on
Delicious cheeses, salami, olives, pepperoncini, and shredded brussels sprouts are all included in this gorgeous Italian chopped salad recipe. The ideal filling lunch or light dinner is this tasty and simple chopped brussels sprouts salad with a light Italian dressing!
Anytime I come across an Italian-style chopped salad at a restaurant or a family gathering, I eat it all up. It's one of my favorite salad kinds, so I thought it'd be interesting to create a special variation using crunchy, in-season brussels sprouts in place of lettuce. Greetings, crisp flavor!

Brussels sprouts are used in place of lettuce in this Italian chopped salad, along with tomatoes, chickpeas, provolone and parmesan cheese, olives, red onion, pepperoncini, and MORE. You'll fall in love with the light Italian-style dressing that envelops it after just one taste.

What’s in an Italian chopped salad?

You know that enormous chopped salad you get from Macaroni Grill or California Pizza Kitchen? Yes, I am referring to the salad.

Italian chopped salads are composed of a crunchy foundation of lettuces, radishes, radicchio, or cabbage, vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, and even artichoke hearts, chickpeas, meats like ham or salami, acidic pepperoncini, and cheeses such as mozzarella, parmesan, or provolone. Then, a mild, acidic dressing is added to coat everything.

A huge bowl of pleasure, indeed.

Ingredients in this Italian chopped salad with brussels sprouts

For the Italian dressing:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 teaspoons sugar or honey, depending on how sweet you like your dressing
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, ended trimmed and outer leaves removed
  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 4-6 oz thinly sliced Genoa salami, cut in half or julienned
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup pitted sliced kalamata or sliced black olives
  • ¼ cup sliced pepperoncinis
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup cubed provolone cheese
  • ¼ cup shaved or shredded parmesan

What is a pepperoncini?

Despite seeming like a charming little pepperoni, "pepperoncini" is actually a sort of pepper. Banana peppers are yellow-green and have a similar appearance to pepperoncini, but pepperoncini are often thinner and have a bit more heat (some banana peppers have almost no heat). You are welcome to leave out the pepperoncini in this recipe if you have a sensitivity to spice or don't like banana peppers.

Customize your salad

Do you need to DIY or are there a few items missing from the list? No issue! The following simple substitutions can be made in this Italian chopped brussels sprouts salad:
  1. Change the protein. Use grilled chicken instead of salami or chickpeas to customize your protein. Even better, you could substitute ham or crispy bacon for the salami.
  2. Vegetarianize it. If you want to make this salad vegetarian, simply omit the salami.
  3. Be a vegan. Looking to veganize it? Enjoy without the salami and cheeses.
  4. Pasta gathering. Add some cooked elbow, bowtie, or cavatappi noodles to get a bit crazy!

How to chop brussels sprouts for salad

  1. Using your food processor to chop or shred brussels sprouts is the simplest method. Simply place the brussels sprouts in your food processor with the slicing attachment attached, and pulse until they are very thinly sliced.
  2. You can slice the brussels sprouts very thinly with a sharp knife if you don't have a food processor. Ensure that the stem and any exterior yellow leaves are cut off.

Italian chopped salad in 4 easy steps

  1. Create the dressing. In a small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
  2. Grate the Brussels. With a food processor or a sharp knife, shred all of those Brussels sprouts at that point.
  3. Prepare the Brussels. To ensure that the brussels sprouts get all the flavor from the dressing, dress them separately.
  4. Cut and toss. Add the remaining toppings to your bowl of marinated Brussels sprouts after you've chopped them, then serve!

Comments

Post a Comment