Easy Antipasto Salad Recipe
The perfect party appetizer or weeknight dinner — no cooking required and ready in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce crisp and fresh — always chop, never shred, for maximum crunch
- 8 oz Genoa salami cut into bite-sized pieces (find it at any deli counter or Costco)
- 4 oz pepperoni thinly sliced and quartered
- 4 oz prosciutto torn into pieces (optional but absolutely worth it)
- 6 oz provolone cheese diced into ½-inch cubes
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella ciliegine/pearls work great, halved
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 1 13-oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained (or marinated artichoke hearts for extra tang)
- ½ cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
- ½ cup green olives pitted and halved
- ½ cup jarred roasted red peppers sliced
- ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers find these in the pickle aisle at any grocery store
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves torn
For the Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey balances the acidity — trust the process
Instructions
Step 1 — Make the Vinaigrette First
- In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, honey, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified. Taste it — it should be punchy, slightly tangy, with a whisper of sweetness. Set aside.
Step 2 — Prep Your Ingredients
- Cut everything into uniform, bite-sized pieces. This is a non-negotiable chef move — uniform cuts mean every forkful has a little bit of everything. Chop the romaine into 1-inch pieces, dice your cheeses, quarter your pepperoni.
Step 3 — Build the Salad
- In a large mixing bowl (go bigger than you think you need), layer in the romaine lettuce as the base. Add the Genoa salami, pepperoni, prosciutto, provolone, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, both olives, roasted red peppers, pepperoncini, and red onion.
Step 4 — Dress and Toss
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. Start with about ¾ of the dressing, toss well, then taste before adding more. You want every ingredient lightly coated — not swimming.
Step 5 — Finish with Fresh Basil
- Always add the fresh basil at the very end, right before serving. Basil bruises and wilts fast, and you want those bright, fragrant notes to shine. Finish with a shower of Parmesan on top.
Step 6 — Serve Immediately or Chill
- Serve right away for maximum crunch, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving (hold the basil and dressing until ready).