Italian Sub Salad Two Ways Recipe
A vibrant and flavorful Italian Sub Salad featuring a medley of fresh vegetables, Italian meats, and cheeses tossed in a zesty red wine vinegar dressing. This versatile salad can be enjoyed as a low-carb option or enhanced with tri-colored tortellini for carb lovers, making it perfect for gatherings or everyday meals.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
For The Salad
- 2 Hearts of Romaine, shredded
- 1/2 lb Salami, sliced and cut into squares
- 1/2 lb Provolone, sliced and cut into squares
- 8 oz package of marinated mini fresh mozzarella balls
- 1 Cucumber, sliced thin
- 1 Red Pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 cup mild pepper rings
- 1 White Onion, sliced into strips
- 1 T Black Pepper
- 1 T Dried Basil
- 1 cup Parmesan, cubed
- 1/2 lb Pepperoni, diced
For The Dressing
- 1 cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1 T Garlic Powder
- 1 T Dried Basil
- 1 T Brown Sugar (or a natural sweetener)
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
Optional Addition
- 1 cooked and cooled bag of tri-colored tortellini (for carb lovers)
Instructions
- Assemble the salad base: In a large bowl, add the shredded romaine lettuce. Then layer the two peppers (red pepper strips and mild pepper rings), salami squares, provolone squares, diced pepperoni, marinated mozzarella balls, sliced cucumber, sliced white onion, and Parmesan cubes in an organized pattern over the lettuce to create a visually appealing presentation.
- Season and refrigerate: Lightly sprinkle the assembled salad with salt and oregano. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill and allow flavors to meld for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
- Prepare the dressing: While the salad chills, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, dried basil, brown sugar (or natural sweetener), and kosher salt in a separate bowl. Refrigerate the dressing overnight to enhance its flavor.
- Serve: When ready to serve, offer the dressing on the side so guests can add as desired, or toss the entire salad with the dressing just before serving. Optionally, for those who prefer a carb-rich variant, gently fold in the cooked and cooled tri-colored tortellini into half of the salad before serving, keeping the other half low-carb.
Notes
- This salad can be prepared ahead and refrigerated overnight to enhance the infusion of flavors.
- To cater to both low-carb and carb-embracing guests, divide the salad and add tortellini only to one portion.
- Substitute brown sugar with natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup if preferred.
- For a spicier kick, consider adding hot pepper rings or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Use fresh herbs if available instead of dried basil for a more vibrant taste.
Keywords: Italian sub salad, Italian salad, low carb salad, no-cook salad, antipasto salad, Italian dressing, easy salad recipe
Find it online: https://leofoster.com/italian-sub-salad-two-ways-recipe-2/
