Description
This Grinder Salad is a hearty and flavorful Italian-inspired salad featuring a mix of crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini, thinly sliced deli meats, provolone cheese, and a zesty homemade dressing. Perfect for a quick lunch or meal prep, this salad combines fresh vegetables, savory meats, and a tangy, creamy dressing for a satisfying and easy-to-make dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce (shredded)
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce (shredded)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
- 8 slices provolone cheese (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 pound sliced ham (chopped)
- 1/4 pound thinly sliced sopprasetta salami (chopped)
- 1/4 pound thinly sliced genoa salami (chopped)
Dressing Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup pepperoncini liquid
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Crushed red pepper and cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, pepperoncini liquid, freshly grated parmesan cheese, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, crushed red pepper, and cracked black pepper. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated into a creamy dressing.
- Assemble the salad: Slice and chop all vegetables and meats as specified. In a large bowl, add the shredded romaine and iceberg lettuce as the base. Layer on the chopped ham, sopprasetta salami, genoa salami, provolone cheese slices, thinly sliced red onion, sliced pepperoncini peppers, and halved cherry tomatoes. Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
- Meal prep variation: For make-ahead mason jar salads, divide the dressing into individual mason jars. Add the hearty toppings first, including pepperoncini peppers, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Next, add the chopped meats and cheese. Finally, top with the shredded lettuce to keep it crisp. Store the jars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, invert each jar into a bowl and toss to combine before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh, crisp lettuce for the best texture.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper based on your spice preference.
- You can substitute meats with other deli favorites or omit for a vegetarian version, though this will change the protein content.
- Mason jar salads make excellent meal prep options and retain freshness when stored properly.
- Dress the salad just before serving to prevent sogginess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Grinder Salad, Italian Salad, Deli Meat Salad, Meal Prep Salad, No Cook Salad, Provolone Salad
