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This La Scala Chopped Salad is a classic Italian chopped salad made with crisp lettuce, salami, chickpeas, mozzarella, and a tangy red wine vinaigrette that pulls everything together. It’s hearty and balanced, with bold flavors that make it a satisfying, all-in-one meal.
This salad has roots, and its name, tied to a well-known Los Angeles restaurant, but the flavors themselves feel instantly familiar. The original version became popular for its finely chopped texture and bold Italian ingredients, so every bite tastes the same from start to finish. When I first had this, it immediately reminded me of Olive Garden’s house salad, just chopped finer, heartier, and a little more elevated.
This is a crisp, savory salad with plenty of texture and salt-forward flavor. It’s not delicate, leafy, or meant to sit around for hours, it’s a fork-and-knife salad meant to eat like a meal.
Read This Before Starting
- What this is: A hearty Italian chopped salad designed to be served fully dressed and eaten as a complete meal or substantial side.
- What it’s not: A delicate leafy salad or something that can sit out for long periods after dressing.
- Texture: Crisp lettuce throughout, with savory bites of salami, creamy mozzarella, and tender chickpeas in every forkful.
- Timing: About 25 minutes start to finish, with no cooking required.
- Equipment needed: A sharp knife and a large bowl are essential since there’s a fair amount of chopping involved, but it’s absolutely worth it for how well everything comes together.
- Make-ahead notes: You can prep all components and the dressing in advance, but toss everything together just before serving for the best texture.
Why This Salad Works
The magic of a chopped salad is balance. Every forkful should deliver a little crunch, a little richness, and a little acidity without needing extra toppings or add-ons.
Using both iceberg and romaine gives you structure and crunch without bitterness. The salami and mozzarella add richness, while the pepperoncinis and vinaigrette keep things sharp and lively so the salad never feels heavy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Iceberg and romaine lettuce form the base. Iceberg brings crunch, while romaine adds body and structure so the salad doesn’t collapse once dressed.
- Genoa salami gives this salad its signature savory bite. Thin slices work best so the salami distributes evenly throughout the bowl.
- Chickpeas add substance and make the salad filling enough to stand on its own. Rinse and drain them well so they don’t water down the dressing.
- Mozzarella cheese adds creaminess and softens the bite of the vinaigrette. Shredded mozzarella works best here so it gets into every bite, but small mozzarella balls are also fun.
- Cherry tomatoes, red onion, and pepperoncinis bring brightness, tang, and bite. Together, they’re what give this salad that familiar Italian restaurant flavor.
- Red wine vinaigrette ties everything together. The Parmesan, Dijon, and garlic give it enough backbone to coat the lettuce without overpowering the other ingredients.
How to Make La Scala Chopped Salad
This salad is all about prep and assembly. Once everything is chopped, it comes together quickly.
Step 1: Make the Dressing
Add the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to a small bowl or mason jar. Whisk or shake until fully emulsified. The dressing should look slightly creamy and well blended.
Pro tip: Making the dressing first gives the flavors time to meld while you prep the salad.
Step 2: Prep the Salad Ingredients
Finely shred the iceberg and romaine lettuce so the pieces are bite-sized. Thinly slice the salami, onion, and pepperoncinis, and halve the tomatoes. Everything should be roughly the same size for even distribution.
Pro tip: A sharper knife makes a big difference here and keeps the lettuce crisp instead of bruised.
Step 3: Toss and Serve
Add the lettuces, chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, pepperoncinis, salami, and 1 cup of the mozzarella to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is evenly coated. Finish with the remaining mozzarella and serve immediately.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Chop matters: Chop the lettuce finely so the salad eats like a true chopped salad, not a tossed one. Keeping all of the ingredients about the same size is what gives you that perfect, balanced bite every time.
- Cheese choice: Shredded mozzarella is traditional here, but provolone or a mild fontina also work well.
- Tame the onion: I recommend tasting your red onion before adding it, since a lot of sharp onion can quickly overwhelm the salad. For a milder flavor, soak sliced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes and drain well.
- Fix overdressing: If the salad feels overdressed, add a handful of extra lettuce to balance it out.
- Make it a meal: Add grilled chicken or shrimp just before serving to make it more filling.
- Veggie add-ins: This salad is flexible and handles extra vegetables well. Cucumber, radicchio, roasted red peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, or shredded carrots all work nicely. Add one or two at a time and keep everything finely chopped so the balance stays right. It’s also a great way to use up odds and ends you already have in the fridge.
Serving Ideas
This salad is bold and savory, which makes it flexible for both weeknights and casual entertaining.
- Serve it as a main dish with crusty bread on the side.
- Pair it with grilled chicken or steak for an easy dinner.
- Add it to an Italian-inspired spread alongside pasta.
Storing
This salad is best eaten right after it’s dressed.
- Refrigerator: Store undressed components separately for up to 3 days.
- Dressed salad: Once dressed, leftovers will soften quickly and are best eaten the same day.
- Freezing: Not recommended due to the fresh vegetables and cheese.
FAQs
You can prep all of the ingredients and the dressing ahead of time and store them separately in the fridge. For the best texture, wait to toss everything together until just before serving so the lettuce stays crisp.
This salad is chopped much finer and includes hearty ingredients like chickpeas and salami. That fine chop means every bite is evenly mixed and more filling than a typical tossed Italian salad.
Yes. Prosciutto, turkey salami, or grilled chicken all work well. Just keep the slices thin so they blend evenly with the rest of the ingredients.
Once dressed, the salad is best eaten the same day. The lettuce will soften as it sits, which changes the texture even though the flavor is still good.
More Salads Worth Making
If you like bold, restaurant-style salads, here are a few more to try:
- Easy Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
- Easy Cobb Salad
- Colorful Veggie Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
Made this La Scala Chopped Salad? Leave a review and let me know how it turned out!
La Scala Chopped Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
Salad
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1 15oz can chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup pepperoncinis, sliced
- 4 ounces Genoa salami, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Add all of the salad dressing ingredients to a small bowl or mason jar. Whisk everything together or close the lid and shake to emulsify and combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- To a large bowl, add the lettuces, chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, pepperoncinis, salami, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Pour the dressing on top and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately, sprinkling the top with the remaining mozzarella.
Notes
- Prep all ingredients ahead of time for quicker assembly.
- Toss with the dressing just before serving for the best texture.
- Leftovers are best enjoyed the same day, as the lettuce will soften once dressed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My son-in-law recently made this while I was visiting the family & it got a solid 12 thumbs up from all of us—three of whom were 13, 11, & 9. The salad ingredients themselves were a great balance of textures & flavors & perfectly filling without the ‘over did it’ feeling. Bonus points for the dressing being spot on & pulling it altogether beautifully.
If you’re looking for a salad that’s filling without being overwhelming, or just need a fresh change of pace in the rotation, highly, highly recommend!