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–+ servings

Fancy Italian Salad

This Fancy Italian Salad is crisp, hearty, and restaurant-worthy with iceberg, romaine, salami, Parmesan chickpeas, and a punchy red wine vinaigrette. It looks special with minimal effort and is best tossed right before serving.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 340 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1 head Romaine lettuce finely sliced
  • 1 cup English cucumber chopped
  • 1/4 cup salami slices sliced into strips
  • 1 Roma tomato finely diced
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese the good stuff if you can manage it
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas drained well
  • 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese for the chickpeas
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil for the chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder for the chickpeas
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, for the chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup olive oil for the vinaigrette
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder for the vinaigrette
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, for the vinaigrette

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and set out a small baking tray, then drain the chickpeas very well so they can get nicely golden.
  • Put the drained chickpeas in a bowl with 1 tablespoon Parmesan, 2 teaspoons olive oil, dried basil, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder, then toss until thoroughly coated and season lightly with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
  • Spread the chickpeas on the baking tray and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and crisp-looking; they will firm up a bit as they sit.
  • While the chickpeas bake, combine the shredded iceberg, finely sliced romaine, chopped English cucumber, salami strips, and diced Roma tomato in a large salad bowl.
  • Add half of the 1/3 cup grated Parmesan to the salad bowl and reserve the other half for topping.
  • In a separate small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, then season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste and set aside.
  • When ready to serve, add about three-quarters of the baked chickpeas to the salad bowl along with the vinaigrette and toss until the leaves are lightly coated.
  • Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or divide among four bowls, then scatter the reserved Parmesan and remaining chickpeas over the top and serve right away while the lettuce is crisp and the chickpeas are still warm-ish.

Notes

This salad is best eaten the day it is made once dressed. If planning for leftovers, keep the vinaigrette, chickpeas, and undressed salad mixture separate; the lettuce mixture will hold refrigerated for about a day, the chickpeas are best kept loosely covered at room temperature if serving later the same day, and the vinaigrette can be refrigerated, then brought out briefly and whisked again before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal
Keyword Fancy Italian Salad, iceberg lettuce salad, Italian salad, Parmesan chickpeas, red wine vinaigrette, romaine salad, salami salad
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