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.
wow – my husband and teenage boys are not salad fans but they sucked this down and asked if we could have it every week! plus it was super easy to modify for the vegetarian daughter and still give her plenty of protein. that dressing is the bomb. this is a new whole family staple – thank you!
This is so fun to read — thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
Used the salad recipe as a base but added cut up mortadella instead of ham. Gotta say, the dressing recipe is a keeper ( cut it down to 2 teaspoons though ). Be sure to let it chill in fridge for a bit!
Glad you’ve enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Your recipes look amazing! I’m making my grocery list now, as I plan on trying a few very soon. May I ask where you got your wood salad servers with the twisted handles? I love them.
Thank you and wish me luck!
Thank you so much! I hope you love this salad & good luck! 🙂 I’m sure this isn’t the answer you’re hoping for, but they were bought in Johannesburg Africa (my in-laws lived there for a bit) at the Joburg market. Wish I had a link to share for them
I loved this salad sooo much and so did our wine group that I made it for!! Making it again tonight.. But I love all your salads and so does everyone else I make them for.. yummy!!!!!
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much for your kind comment Nicky! 🙂
This is so good! The whole family ate it and I have some for lunch tomorrow.
So glad to hear it was a hit! 🙂 Thank you 🙂
Hi!
This looks delicious and plan on trying this weekend. For the pepperoncini,do you use pickled or fresh?
Thank you!
Hope you love it! 🙂 Jarred!
Made this salad lastnight to go with stuffed shells and it was DELICIOUS. The dressing in particular is something I will use whenever I get the chance. Great recipe!
So thrilled you enjoyed! Thank you for the comment 🙂
It looks so good! It has a little bit of everything. The chickpeas make it for me.
Hope you love it 🙂
I made this tonight for my kids and I. They loved it and begged for this salad only for future salads.
Yay! Love hearing that 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment and review Allison 🙂
The salad looks super delicious with so many different flavors.