This delicious tossed salad is jam packed with all the best Italian sub ingredients and drizzled with a homemade vinaigrette- without the bread!
Submarine salad
Story time…because ya’ll know I relate food to some distant childhood memory. I know all the best Italian shops in the greater Boston region. My absolute favorite one is Tutto’s in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It’s a quaint shop with little Italian barista tables that cranks out the best Italian sub you have ever had.
My dad would load me up in his van for a fun day of job shadowing while he visited the client’s houses. He is a locksmith, and his van is filled with all sorts of tools that I would rummage through and cause serious mischief. I always looked forward to these kinds of days because it meant two things: I get to spend the day with my favorite human EVER, and we were certainly going out for lunch.
We walked in to Tutto’s and it was something out of a classic Italian movie. The Italian cured meats were hanging in the back in the deli from the ceiling. The small aisles were lined with Italian imported goodies, ranging from specialty pastas and sauce to fine red wines.
My dad swore I needed to try the Italian sub. Life has never been the same. Yes, that’s dramatic, but I’m serious. The bread was so fresh, crispy, and flavorful. The olive oil was unlike any I have ever tasted. The super thinly chopped lettuce was cold and refreshing. After you’ve had an Italian sub from there, you will forever be tainted and continue to compare the rest to Tutto’s. Spoiler alert: they will always fall short.
Now that I live in Pensacola, worlds away from fine Italian cuisine, I must make do… so I present to you a classic Italian sub salad!
This salad is crisp and fresh, with deliciously salted Italian cured meats. The home made vinaigrette is simple and complimentary. The smoked provolone really adds another dimension to this dish!
What goes in Italian salad
- Salad mix
- Salami
- Hot capicola (hot capi)
- Mortadella
- Pepperoni
- Smoked provolone
- Olive oil
- White wine vinegar
- Italian seasoning
- Tomatoes
- Red onion
- Pepperoncini
For the salad dressing
- Olive oil
- White wine vinegar
- Italian seasoning
- Salt
How to assemble and Italian sub salad
Start with the meats
Choose two or three meats to throw in your salad. I went to my local Publix grocery store and bought Boars Head. I asked the deli counter to cut three thick pieces of each meat. Cut each meat into small bite sized pieces and place the the side.
Choose your vegetables
In a traditional Italian sub, you will find three key players- lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion. For this recipe, I used sweet grape tomatoes since they are in season and so juicy! You can add fun fixings like cucumbers, black/green/Spanish stuffed olives, radishes, or bell peppers.
Pick your salad greens
I made this recipe simple by using a store bough salad mix full of baby lettuce and greens. You can make this into a wedge salad with a head of lettuce or support your local farmer and grab a bag of their salad mix at the farmer’s market!
Assemble the salad
Since heavy items love to fall to the bottom of the salad, layer your salad. First, start out by placing the salad mix in a large bowl. Next, add the vegetables, then sprinkle the meats and cheese over the top. At this point, you can add the salad dressing if you’d like, or wait to dress it up in individual bowls.
How to serve this salad to a crowd
If I’m cooking for a crowd, I always aim to impress! Grab a huge bowl and some pretty salad tongs. Place the dressing in a separate glass jar. The key to a delicious salad is lots of fixings and color! Add as many vegetables as you’d like to vary up the flavors and colors. You can add different kinds of cheeses like parmesan or mozzarella pearls. Toss it together and serve while it’s cold!
How to prevent the salad from going soggy
Have you ever gone to eat a salad the next day and it’s wilted and soggy? There are a few ways to try to mitigate that!
- Rip the lettuce, don’t cut it. If you are making the salad mix yourself, try ripping the leaves instead of cutting them with a knife. This helps release less water from the leaves.
- Store ingredients separately. If you are making this salad into individual bowls, store ingredients separately in the fridge. The lettuce mix will stay fresh and crispy!
- Don’t dress the salad. Add the salad dressing to individual bowls when you are ready to eat it.
What goes with Italian salad?
- White wine, parmesan cheese, fresh lemon, and Italian seasoning make the best stuffing for this Italian Stuffed Florida pompano fish! In under 20 minutes, you’ll have the most tender, flaky and delicious fish dinner!
- One pan bacon and dijon mustard chicken– juicy seared chicken breasts in a creamy dijon mustard sauce with crispy bacon bits- a delicious meal ready in 30 minutes!
- One pot creamy gnocci with kale and white beans– this easy 15 minute vegetarian dish is made is one pot with a pillowy gnocchi. A simple parmesan cream sauce brings together the kale, white beans, and gnocchi with an added pinch of sage.
- Creamy sausage and tortellini tomato soup– this sausage tortellini soup has a creamy tomato base, making it hearty and delicious. With Italian seasoning and the fragrant blend of roasted onions, garlic, celery, and carrots, this soup has layers of flavors!
- Crispy oven baked eggplant cutlets are the perfect Italian side dish. Sliced eggplant is coated in a breadcrumb and parmesan cheese mixture and crisped to perfection.
More Sea Salt Savorings Classics
- Sheet Pan Gnocchi Caprese with Asiago Spinach Sausage
- Mojo Chicken (baked, grilled, or stovetop!)
- Chicken Margherita(grilled, baked, or stove top!)
- Small Apartment Design
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay in touch! I love to see your creations! Tag me at #SeaSaltSavorings to show me what you’ve made!
Italian Sub Salad
This delicious tossed salad is jam packed with all the best Italian sub ingredients and drizzled with a homemade vinaigrette- without the bread!
Ingredients
- 3 slices of salami
- 3 slices of mortadella
- 3 slices of hot cappicola
- 3 slices of sandwich pepperoni
- 3 slices of provolone cheese
- 1 bag of salad mix
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini
- 3 roma tomatoes Diced
- 1/2 red onion Sliced thin
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
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Prepare the meats. Slice the thick cut meats and cheese into small bite sized pieces and place to the side.
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Assemble the salad. Place the salad mix in a large bowl. Add the red onion, tomatoes, and pepperoncini. Next, add the meats and cheese on top of the salad.
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Make the dressing. In a small jar, combine the olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Cover the jar with a lid and shake well. Drizzle the dressing over the whole salad or into idividual bowls. Mangia!
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