Italian Chopped Salad is a homemade take on the California Pizza Kitchen classic. It’s loaded with ham, chickpeas, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and lettuce, all tossed in a lemon dressing.
Serve this Italian chopped salad with Margherita Pizza, Chicken Alfredo, or Italian Chicken.
Table of Contents
California Pizza Kitchen Copycat
This is my favorite California Pizza Kitchen salad! Since I live far from one, I made my own version and honestly, I love it even more!
It’s got chickpeas, tomatoes, and so many other delicious ingredients. Plus, you can change it up however you like. Mix and match the ingredients to make it perfect for you. Isn’t that the best part of making a restaurant copycat at home?!
Ingredients In Italian Chopped Salad
- Lettuce: Roll up and slice thin for a better salad texture. Use half iceberg and half romaine for extra crunch.
- Chickpeas: Rinse well and dry completely before adding to salad. Feel free to roast or air fry chickpeas first if you’d prefer.
- Tomatoes: Cut into quarters. Choose firm, ripe cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Red Onion: Slice very thin to keep the flavor mild. If you don’t like raw onion, soak slices in cold water for 10 minutes. Drain and dry before adding.
- Salami: Use good-quality — ask at your deli counter for help!
- Ham: Ask the deli for thick slices to dice up, or buy pre-diced ham.
- Mozzarella: Cut in half for even mixing.
- Pepperoncini: Slice thin for a mild kick of tang.
- Basil: Roll up and slice thin for more flavor in each bite. Use leftover basil in Tomato Basil Soup!
Dressing
- Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemons for the best flavor. If you want a stronger lemon flavor, add in some lemon zest.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds a little tang and helps thicken up the dressing.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Helps to balance the flavors and add in some tang.
- Sugar: A bit of sweetness to balance the vinegar.
- Dried Oregano, Parsley, and Garlic: Adds flavor!
- Olive Oil: Use extra virgin for the best possible flavor.
How to Make Italian Chopped Salad
- Make the Dressing: Mix lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, sugar, dried herbs, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper. Shake well and chill until ready to use.
- Prepare the Lettuce: Wash, dry, roll, and thinly slice romaine lettuce. The smaller the pieces, the better the salad tastes!
- Assemble the Salad: In a bowl, mix lettuce, rinsed chickpeas, chopped meats, halved mozzarella pearls, prepared veggies, and basil.
- Dress the Salad: Shake dressing, add to what you will eat, and gently toss.
- Store Leftovers: Keep leftover dressing in the fridge for up to a week. Shake well before using.
Switch Things Up
- Vegetarian: Skip the meats, and add extra chickpeas, roasted red peppers, or artichoke hearts.
- Chicken: Replace meats with grilled or shredded chicken for a lean protein option.
- Nuts and Seeds: Sprinkle with toasted almonds, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds for added crunch.
- Different Cheese: Substitute with small cubes of Provolone or a finely grated Parmesan.
- Spicy: Add diced jalapeños or spicy salami for a kick.
- Grains: Mix in cooked quinoa, farro, or couscous for a more hearty salad.
- Use Turkey: The California Pizza Kitchen’s version of this Italian chopped salad uses turkey, which can be used in place of the ham.
Recipe Tips for Italian Chopped Salad
- Fresh Ingredients: Use the freshest ingredients for the best taste and texture.
- Dry Lettuce: Make sure the lettuce is 100% dry to prevent sogginess.
- Chill Dressing: Keep the dressing cold until you’re ready to use it.
- Cut Evenly: Cut all ingredients to similar sizes for a consistent bite.
- Use a Big Bowl: Mix the salad in a large bowl for even coating.
What to Serve with Italian Chopped Salad
- Dinner Rolls or Garlic Bread: Perfect for soaking up extra dressing.
- Pasta: Try a simple dish like this Zucchini Pasta Sauce over spaghetti.
- Soup: A bowl of minestrone or vegetable soup goes well.
- Pizza: A slice of pepperoni pizza or this easy Flatbread Pizza.
- Cheese Plate: A mix of olives, your favorite cheeses, and cold cuts.
Storage
Chopped Italian Salad Storage
- Dress only what you will eat right away to avoid sogginess.
- Store undressed salad and dressing separately.
- Prep salad ingredients ahead of time and store separate. Keep dressing in the fridge and shake well before using.
More Salad Recipes
- Chicken Taco Salad with my favorite cilantro-lime dressing
- Corn Salad with avocado
- Greek Salad with a delicious and simple Greek dressing
- BBQ Chicken Salad with a creamy cilantro dressing
- Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe with red onion
Italian Chopped Salad (CPK Copycat)
Italian Chopped Salad is a homemade take on the California Pizza Kitchen classic. It’s loaded with ham, chickpeas, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and lettuce, all tossed in a lemon dressing.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1-2 heads (4 cups) romaine lettuce Note 1
- 15 ounces chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
- 1/2 cup red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 cup (4 ounces) chopped salami
- 1/2 cup chopped ham
- 1 cup (5 ounces) fresh mozzarella pearls, halved
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced pepperoncini
- 10-12 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Dressing (Note 2)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 teaspoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Fine sea salt & pepper
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a wide-mouth mason jar. Season to taste (I add 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper). Shake well and store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Wash lettuce. Ensure lettuce is completely dry using a salad spinner. Cut into ribbons (roll up pieces into cigars and then very thinly slice) and then halve the ribbons.
- Combine lettuce, chickpeas, tomatoes, red onion, salami, ham, mozzarella, pepperoncini, and chiffonade basil (Note 2). Toss to combine.
- Shake dressing again before using. Only add dressing to the portion you'll eat immediately (read Note 3). Enjoy promptly — this salad doesn't sit well once dressed.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Lettuce: Or use a mix of romaine and iceberg for variety and more crunch. Use 1/2 head of each.
Note 2: Chiffonade: Stack basil leaves, roll into a cigar shape, and slice thinly to create ribbons. For shorter ribbons, cut each slice in half before unrolling.
Note 3: Dressing: You likely won’t need all the dressing for this salad, but it’s better to have more than not enough. Once dressed, the salad should be eaten immediately. If meal prepping, keep the salad and dressing separate. Store leftover dressing in the fridge for up to a week. Let it return to room temperature and shake to remix before using.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.5g | Protein: 21.2g | Fat: 18.1g | Cholesterol: 35.1mg | Sodium: 376.5mg | Fiber: 5.6g | Sugar: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! We ate the whole salad it’s that good. Definitely will make again.
Substituted balsamic vinegar in dressing..tasted great.
Added eggs and diced ham and. pepperoni for protein.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Gina! 🙂
Made this today and it was absolutely delicious! I did toast the chickpeas for a little added texture. Yummm!
Delish! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Rachel! 🙂
I was in the mood for a new flavor combination and this recipe hit the spot. I left out the ham and used some chopped bacon instead. Swapped the red wine vinegar for white. I believe I’m going to eat the whole thing! Thank you.
Delish! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Kari! 🙂
Love this so much! Have made a few times. A fun shortcut is buying the applegate mini salami bites so you don’t need to chop:).
Great idea! Thanks for your comment, so glad you enjoyed! 🙂
This salad is amazing! Tastes like an Italian sub. My only issue was the chickpeas. To me they didn’t make sense in the salad and added a gross texture. Next time I make it… and I for sure will, I will leave them out. Otherwise everything about it was perfection.
You can for sure leave them out! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Kyli! 🙂
Delicious!! Made a humongous bowl of this for an Italian themed dinner party for 16 people and it was devoured. People had 2-3 servings and when does that ever happen with a salad? It was a little tedious cutting the meats and tomatoes for a salad this large, but I’d still make it again!! Very very good.
I am seriously so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Stacey! 🙂
I can’t wait to make the taco salad too! Great prep tips and really delicious! Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks! 🙂
This salad:dressing is phenomenal! Loved the Chiffonade technique too. It not only makes for a beautiful presentation but helps to get a little bit of everything on your fork!! 😊 Delicious, thank you!!
I’m so glad you loved this recipe! Thanks Paula!
Delicious! Brought to a gathering and EVERY speck was gone!
Thanks for a keeper!
Yay! Love hearing that! Thanks Lori 🙂
Made for a family gathering last week and making again tonight. Delicious and will be in my regular rotation. Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad to hear that!! Thank you Margaret!