Italian Chopped Salad is crisp, fresh, and loaded with ham, salami, chickpeas, mozzarella, pepperoncini, basil, and a bright lemon dressing.

Italian chopped salad tossed in a bowl with dressing.
chelsea

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.

signature
Italian chopped salad ingredients prepped for easy assembly, including dressing, pepperoncini, basil, ham, lettuce, tomatoes, salami, chickpeas, mozzarella, and onion.

Italian Chopped Salad Ingredients

IngredientLet’s Chat About It
Romaine lettuceDry it really well so the dressing doesn’t water down the salad.
Chickpeas, tomatoes, red onion & pepperonciniSlice the onion very thin so it doesn’t take over each bite.
Salami & hamChop into small, even pieces so every bite has a little of each.
Mozzarella pearls & basilTo keep the basil fresher longer, tear it instead of cutting it.
Lemon dressingShake 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
47 More Reviews

What to Serve with Italian Chopped Salad

Italian chopped salad dressing mixed together in a mason jar.

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:

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4.89 from 34 votes
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Italian Chopped Salad (CPK Copycat)

By Chelsea Lords
Italian Chopped Salad is loaded with crisp lettuce, savory meats, chickpeas, mozzarella, tomatoes, pepperoncini, and a bright lemon dressing.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 as a side

Video

Equipment

  • Wide-mouth Mason Jar or other sealable container

Ingredients

Salad
  • 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
Dressing (see note 2)
  • 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.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Or use a mix of romaine and iceberg for variety and more crunch. Use 1/2 head of each.
Note 2: To 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: 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.
Storage: 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.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

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.

Meet Chelsea

Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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4.89 from 34 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




47 Comments

  1. Gina says:

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Gina! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Rachel K says:

    5 stars
    Made this today and it was absolutely delicious! I did toast the chickpeas for a little added texture. Yummm!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      Delish! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Rachel! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kari says:

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      Delish! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Kari! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Jessy says:

    5 stars
    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:).

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      Great idea! Thanks for your comment, so glad you enjoyed! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Kyli says:

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      You can for sure leave them out! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Kyli! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Stacey says:

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      I am seriously so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Stacey! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Karen says:

    I can’t wait to make the taco salad too! Great prep tips and really delicious! Thank you

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Paula says:

    5 stars
    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!!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I’m so glad you loved this recipe! Thanks Paula!

      Reply
  9. Lori says:

    5 stars
    Delicious! Brought to a gathering and EVERY speck was gone!
    Thanks for a keeper!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Yay! Love hearing that! Thanks Lori 🙂

      Reply
  10. Margaret says:

    5 stars
    Made for a family gathering last week and making again tonight. Delicious and will be in my regular rotation. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      So glad to hear that!! Thank you Margaret!

      Reply