Italian Chopped Salad is crisp, fresh, and loaded with ham, salami, chickpeas, mozzarella, pepperoncini, basil, and a bright lemon dressing.
Author’s Note
The CPK Salad I Never Got Over
I still remember the first time I had the California Pizza Kitchen Italian Chopped Salad. I went with a friend, and she said we had to get that salad and the BBQ chicken pizza.
I loved both, but I could not stop thinking about the salad. After that, it was my order every time I went! The only problem was my college budget did not exactly leave much room for CPK, so I finally started making it at home.
And honestly, even after all these years, I still think this salad is even better at home. The lettuce is cold and crisp, the toppings taste so fresh, and I can add as much pepperoncini and dressing as I want. It hits every note: crunchy, salty, briny, fresh, and truly just so good.
Italian Chopped Salad Ingredients
| Ingredient | Let’s Chat About It |
|---|---|
| Romaine lettuce | Dry it really well so the dressing doesn’t water down the salad. |
| Chickpeas, tomatoes, red onion & pepperoncini | Slice the onion very thin so it doesn’t take over each bite. |
| Salami & ham | Chop into small, even pieces so every bite has a little of each. |
| Mozzarella pearls & basil | To keep the basil fresher longer, tear it instead of cutting it. |
| Lemon dressing | Shake well before serving and only add to the portion you’ll eat right away. |
Featured Comment
“Wow! Been wanting to make this for awhile. It was out of this world! The dressing is insanely good. Thanks for the recipe!”
– Lee
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 so well.
- Pizza: A slice of pepperoni pizza or this easy flatbread pizza.
Chelsea’s Notes
Recipe Tips for Italian Chopped Salad
- Dry Lettuce: Make sure the lettuce is 100% dry to prevent a soggy salad.
- Cut Evenly: Cut the ingredients into similar sizes so every bite is balanced.
- Fresh Ingredients: Use the freshest ingredients you can for the best flavor and texture.
Storage
Chopped Italian Salad Storage
- Dress only what you will eat right away.
- 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 Delicious Salad Recipes:
Salads With Meat
Grilled Steak Salad Recipe
Salads
Corn Salad Recipe
Healthy
Tomato Cucumber Salad Recipe
Salads
BBQ Chicken Salad
Italian Chopped Salad (CPK Copycat)
Video
Equipment
- Wide-mouth Mason Jar or other sealable container
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 heads (4 cups) romaine lettuce see 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) mozzarella cheese pearls halved
- 1/3 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
- 10 to 12 large fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a wide-mouth mason jar. Season to taste (I add 1/2 tsp salt and 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 very thinly slice), then halve the ribbons.
- Combine lettuce, chickpeas, tomatoes, red onion, salami, ham, mozzarella, pepperoncini, and chiffonade basil (see note 2). Toss to combine.
- Shake dressing again before using. Only add dressing to the portion you’ll eat immediately (see note 3). Enjoy promptly—this salad doesn’t sit well once dressed.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Reader’s Notes & Tips
Tips & Variations from Chelsea’s Messy Apron’s Community
“Phenomenal! I’ve made it many times.” Sara makes this one on repeat.
“The star for me is THE SALAD DRESSING!” Heather added bell pepper, cucumber, and roasted chickpeas, then served it with grilled chicken and focaccia.
“We ate the whole salad. It’s that good.” Gina used balsamic vinegar, added hard-boiled eggs and pepperoni, and said it was a hit.
This salad reminds me of my childhood, the only change I’ve made to the recipe is using chicken breast instead of ham. It’s phenomenal!
I’m so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Marlee!
Wow! Been wanting to make this for awhile. It was out of this world! The dressing is insanely good. Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear this! Thanks Lee!
This salad is phenomenal! I’ve made it many times. Thank you!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Sara!
LOVED this salad!! I wanted a salad that has my favorite elements of an Italian pasta salad, only no pasta, and this fit the bill. I added orange bell pepper, English cucumber, and roasted the chickpeas for texture, and we ate it with grilled chicken and homemade focaccia, and the salad was my favorite part. The star for me is THE SALAD DRESSING!!!! I’ve made many vinaigrettes that i like, but somehow this was my favorite. The combination of red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, and dijon in these amounts was perfect. The versatility of the salad is great, but that dressing needs no substitutions!
Yay! I am so happy to hear this! The dressing is my favorite part a well. Thank you so much Heather! 🙂