This delicious Mediterranean Chopped Salad has it all for anyone who loves hearty & healthy fresh vegetables. In just 10 minutes this is ready for lunch, dinner, or as a side dish.
A bunch of fresh vegetables and flavorful jarred produce makes this chopped salad great for when you have company over. It is bright, colorful, and perfect all summer long.
This recipe is great for all your parties, cookouts, and gatherings since it is perfect for almost every special diet (vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, & meatless). And like my Italian Marinated Tomatoes it is a wonderful first course to when fresh produce is at their peak.
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Ingredients for Mediterranean Chopped Salad
This chopped salad has a base of romaine lettuce. All the ingredients here are common in the Mediterranean diet which makes this heart healthy yet still delicious.
You will recognize much of the simple vegetables as popular Greek & Italian-inspired ingredients. It has a variety of colors, textures, & flavors that is second to none. YUM!
- Romaine lettuce - the hearty leafy green holds up well to all the toppings.
- Garbanzo beans - classic legume for protein.
- Cherry or Roma Tomatoes - a must for any Italian or Greek salad.
- Marinated artichoke hearts - the tender centers to artichokes put this recipe at gourmet levels.
- Cucumber - adds crunch.
- Black )lives - sliced from the can or fancy pitted kalamatas all are great options.
- Pepperoncini - for a spicy kick.
- Onion - red or white works, whichever you prefer.
- Dressing - easy homemade Italian dressing recipe included or use your favorite bottled.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make a Chopped Salad
Since this is a chopped salad, the only prep for this recipe is to chop most of the ingredients up. It is a quick and easy 10 minute recipe.
Try and cut everything up so it is uniform in shape. You want each piece to be smaller than bite-sized so each forkful grabs onto several items at once. See my helpful photos below how best to cut everything so it is easy to eat.
This salad is a great complete meal in one. But you can add more to it to make it even heartier.
1 - Chop the Romaine into Small Pieces
You can begin by slicing the wash romaine lettuce leaves into long strips. Then chop those strips into small pieces. Place the chopped romaine into a medium-sized salad bowl or platter. If you have extras, use these tips to keep chopped or shredded lettuce fresh for days.
2 - Prep the Remaining Ingredients
Once all the romaine is chopped, begin cutting the other ingredients. Here is how to cut/chop each:
- Small dice - tomatoes, cucumbers, & artichoke hearts.
- Thin slices - pepperoncini, olives, & onions.
Last but not least, the garbanzo beans are left whole - no chopping is needed. Store any leftover beans in an air-tight container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Here is how it should look ---
3 - Toss with Dressing
Top the romaine with all the chopped vegetables. The Italian chopped salad is now ready. You can store this for enjoying later or add dressing and enjoy immediately.
You can use a store-bought Italian, Greek, or Vinaigrette. I recommend my Homemade Italian Dressing - it's easy to make, no preservatives, & also vegan-friendly.
Storing & Meal Planning
Once everything is chopped up it stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep salad and dressing separate.
LOVE this for school or work lunches, picnics, or busy weeknight dinners. The make ahead salad recipe is a life saver & helps you eat your veggies.
Variations
This is a great base but you can personalize it and make it your own. I love to add some crunch with homemade air fryer croutons - they are also vegan. Try some of these additions or substitutions:
- Greens - try other lettuces including arugula, spinach, or butter.
- Olives - add any tasty Greek olive variety.
- Cheese - add shredded, grated, or crumbled cheeses such as Parmesan, Feta, Gorgonzola, or Mizithra.
This filling salad makes a great light dinner or lunch divided between two large plates served with slices of fresh baked Dutch Oven No Knead Bread.
It is also great as a first course or side salad for 4 people. Serve paired with Grilled Italian Chicken Drumsticks or Pasta alla Pizzaiola.
Mediterranean Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup canned garbanzo beans drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts chopped
- ½ cup cucumber chopped
- ½ cup black olives pitted & sliced
- 2 tablespoons pepperoncini peppers stems removed & sliced
- 2 tablespoons onion, red or white diced
- VEGAN ITALIAN DRESSING see recipe link above
Instructions
- Gather and wash all ingredients as needed. Also, grab a medium-sized salad bowl or platter.
- Slice romaine leaves lengthwise in 3-4 strips. Then chop those into small bite-sized pieces. Once you have 3 cups of chopped romaine, add it to the bowl.
- Next, begin prepping the chopped vegetables. The tomatoes, cucumber, and marinated artichoke hearts need a rough chop. Add to the romaine.
- The pepperoncini should be sliced if your jar is whole peppers, not already sliced. Slice the olives into 2-3 slices each. Chop the onion into the smallest pieces, about half the size you do the cucumbers. Add both to the other ingredients.
- Last but not least, the garbanzo beans are left whole - no chopping is needed. Just make sure they are drained. Add to the salad.
- Top with my Vegan Italian Salad Dressing or your favorite dressing. Toss to coat and enjoy.Optional - top with additional nutritional yeast.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Mediterranean Recipes
Here are some similar salads that also showcase yummy Mediterranean ingredients:
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