What I love about Antipasto Salad with Italian Vinaigrette
How pretty is this Antipasto Salad with Italian Vinaigrette? I just love all the vibrant colours — it’s a feast for the eyes as much as it is for the taste buds. I love how something as simple as a salad can be transformed into a beautiful, edible masterpiece to be shared and enjoyed by everyone.
This Antipasto Salad truly is the perfect starter when you’re hosting. Not only does it look stunning on the table, but it’s also bursting with bold, savoury flavours. Even better, it’s incredibly quick to prepare — you can have it ready in under ten minutes! Once everything is arranged, it’s finished off with a drizzle of easy homemade Italian vinaigrette, made from just a few simple ingredients.
And while it’s technically a salad, you can easily turn it into a fun, finger-food-style appetizer. Simply skip the lettuce, group the ingredients on a cutting board or platter, and serve it charcuterie-style! However you choose to present it, this Italian-inspired dish is completely gluten-free, grain-free, keto-friendly, and packed with fresh, wholesome goodness.
I absolutely love the combination of pickled and fresh vegetables, the touch of fresh herbs, and a generous sprinkle of aged cheese to tie it all together. Every bite is bursting with flavour and texture — wonderful!
Recipe Notes
A few things to keep in mind:
- Cherry Tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes give the salad a boost of colour as well as added texture to the salad. Grape tomatoes will work as well!
- Olives – An antipasto salad is not complete without olives! If I’m being real, olives are the only food on this planet that I do NOT like, but if I had to choose I would use kalamata olives. Their deep purple colour adds a nice contrast to all of the other, brighter colours in the salad. Make sure they are pitted!
- Pepperoncini – Also known as “peperone” and “friggitello,” these spicy pickled peppers are one of the key ingredients in this salad! They add a bit of zing and gentle heat. If you don’t like it spicy, you can use marinated bell peppers instead.
- Cured meats – I chose prosciutto and soppressata for the cured meats in this salad, but anything from salami to chorizo would also work great! Prosciutto is fattier and therefore more flavourful, plus it looks really pretty curled up on the salad. Soppressata is like a spicy salami; delicious!
- Parmesan cheese – Fresh grated Parmesan cheese adds delicious salty flavour and texture to the salad. I recommend using freshly, finely grated parmesan cheese. I wouldn’t recommend powdered parmesan for this salad.
- White wine vinegar – The white wine vinegar also adds an element of acid which contrasts with the olive oil. You can use red wine vinegar instead if you prefer.
FAQ:
If the salad is dressed it will only last until the end of the day, unfortunately. If you think there might be leftovers, serve the dressing on the side so that each person can add however much they want to their own serving. Then, the leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge and stay fresh for up to 2 more days.
Romaine is certainly ideal as it’s hearty in texture but mild in flavour. Kale would be a bit too aggressive. Arugula, spinach or green leaf lettuce could work, but may not hold up with all of the toppings. It’s your choice!
Yes! If you don’t like a lot of spice, you can substitute marinated roasted red peppers for peperoncini and cervelat salami instead of soppressata.
Yes! The vinaigrette can be fully prepped and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before you want to use it. The olive oil may harden and separate in the fridge, so just remove it about 30 minutes before serving and give it a good shake.
Antipasto Salad with Italian Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 6 cups organic romaine lettuce washed and chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pitted olives of your choice, halved
- 3/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts quartered
- 1/2 cup peperoncini's sliced
- 1/2 cup Italian proscuitto
- 1/2 cup soppressata sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh grated parmigiana cheese
For the vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to a small jar. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously until all of the ingredients are combined. Set aside.
- Prepare a large platter for the salad and arrange the chopped lettuce on top in an even layer.
- Begin adding the toppings, arranging them in a way that is pleasing to the eye. Start with the cherry tomatoes, placing them in two groups at opposite ends of the platter.
- Continue arranging the rest of the ingredients; the olives, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, prosciutto and soppressata.
- Garnish the salad with fresh chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese and a little fresh cracked black pepper.
- Drizzle the Italian vinaigrette all over the salad and serve.
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