I can’t count the number of times I’ve gone out for lunch wanting to try this salad. Inspired by my deep love for the simple house chops served at Harvest Pizza, I was long past figuring out how to make salads at home.
Crunchy vegetables, tangy pepperoncini, and hearty chickpeas are tossed with sweet Italian dressing and sprinkled with creamy cheese crumbles to recreate the Harvest House Chop Salad.
sweet italian dressing
A salad based on a sweet Italian dressing. Smooth and sweet, it’s a cousin to the tangy Italian dressing that’s a staple in my kitchen. It’s bright, sweet, and tangy, with flavors of lemon, Dijon, and garlic in every bite, and a hint of red pepper heat.
salad happiness
I’m happy to say that this salad is a perfect match for the salads we enjoy so much at Harvest Pizza. And now I can make it at home every day. I feel like I found an early Christmas present for my salad-loving heart.
What is chopped salad?
The idea behind the popular chopped salad is that each bite contains a little bit of everything, and you don’t have to cut anything more when you eat it. The key to a great chopped salad is to cut, slice, or chop all the ingredients into roughly the same size. Vegetables are usually cut to about the same size as the other ingredients.
For this salad, the vegetables aren’t cut as small as the chickpeas, but they’re cut large enough to be bite-sized and easy to mix with the other ingredients with a fork.
house chop salad
My family is a bit obsessed with chopped salads, and when I serve them they often comment on how nice it is to have a little bit of each flavor in each bite. One of my sons is adamant about eating his chopped salad with a spoon, and it always makes me laugh when I see him do that.
After you take your first bite, I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s well worth the extra few minutes of chopping things up for this salad. To make your salad happy, check out this salad chopping bowl. I rarely pick up single-tasking kitchen tools, but this salad chopper has been making me grin for the past few weeks.
What is ricotta salata?
I had never even heard of ricotta salata until I had this salad a few years ago. In fact, when I first saw it on a menu, I googled it as one of the salad ingredients. At that time, I had no idea how much I would love this cheese.
While regular ricotta cheese is soft and spreadable, ricotta salata has a crumbly, sliceable texture and a slightly sharp salty taste. It has a clean, creamy flavor that’s somewhere between feta and parmesan, but more subtle and delicate. I love this new cheese and always topping it on my salads when I have it at home.
Unfortunately, this less common cheese can be a little difficult to find. I’ve had the best of luck just asking for it repeatedly at different stores. However, it’s almost always available at Whole Foods, so I run in to buy some cheese when I’m nearby.
If you can’t find ricotta salata, don’t worry too much. I also made this salad with crumbled goat cheese and crumbled feta cheese, and both cheeses worked well. Serving with freshly shredded Parmesan would also be great, if that’s the easiest option.
recipe tips
When making this salad in advance (you know how much I love having salad on hand for quick lunches), I prep the lettuce and cabbage (or radicchio) and store them in an airtight bag or container with paper towels. This way the vegetables will stay fresh for several days.
Marinated chickpeas can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. When you’re ready to serve, just add it to your salad along with a little dressing from the jar.
Radicchio vs red cabbage
If you find radicchio a little too bitter, red cabbage is a great substitute. Red cabbage has a similar texture and beautiful color, and a mild, slightly sweet flavor that pairs well with salads. Easy to replace and maintain the appearance and texture of your dishes.
Radicchio has a bold, unique flavor with a sharp bitterness and a slightly spicy, nutty flavor. Radicchio can add a punch of flavor to wake up a dish, but if that’s not your thing, red cabbage is a great substitute. My sons are not big fans of radicchio, so I always make this with red cabbage for my family.
chopped salad recipe
Salads rarely qualify as a complete meal for my crew, but these salads ticked all the boxes for us. The Italian Chopped Salad is always a hit, with lots of meat and cheese, crunchy fresh vegetables, tangy olives and pepperoncini tossed in a tangy Italian dressing. Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Shrimp Chopped Salad combines crispy bacon, garlicky shrimp, ripe avocado, juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, creamy cheese, and a generous handful of fresh parsley to brighten all the flavors.
The moment I tasted the Italian Grinder Sandwich, I knew I needed a Grinder-inspired salad. My favorite was the tangy coleslaw mix that topped the sandwich, so I wanted to make the most of that flavor combination with a hearty salad. Luckily, I had lots of extra ingredients on hand so I was able to make this Italian Grinder Salad the next day. The whole family gives two thumbs up.
Sweet Italian Dressing Ingredients
Combine all dressing ingredients in a pint-sized or larger glass jar or jar. Seal the lid and shake to mix. Add the washed chickpeas to the jar of dressing and cover. Shake to coat. Soak the chickpeas in the dressing while making the salad.
Combine lettuce, radicchio, and peperoncini in a mixing bowl. Top with chickpeas and desired amount of dressing. Toss to coat everything with the dressing. Before serving, sprinkle the salad with grated cheese.
You probably don’t need all the dressing on this salad recipe, but I tend to use extra. I would like to keep it on hand for future salads.
calorie: 316 kcal | carbohydrates: twenty three g | protein: 8 g | fat: twenty two g | Saturated fat: 4 g | Polyunsaturated fats: 3 g | Monounsaturated fats: 14 g | cholesterol: 8 mg | sodium: 653 mg | potassium: 351 mg | fiber: 7 g | sugar: 5 g | Vitamin A: 551 IU | Vitamin C: twenty two mg | calcium: 102 mg | iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should only be used as a rough guide.
