This antipasto platter is turned into a big healthy vegetable salad that has numerous options and additions, you can adapt this as you read the ingredients list.
We love this usually around the summer hot months when we want a lighter meal with more vegetables and additional chopped deli meats that you can decide on to add more or less.
Any leafy greens can be used, be just love our crisp escarole greens for this particular salad.
Then this wonderful healthy salad is tossed in my mom's over 100-year-old salad dressing recipe, it's perfection.
We love all kinds of salads like our Italian Potato Salad that a light version that the classic kinds and then don't forget to try my refreshing Watermelon Basil Salad, it's another delicious summer recipe.
Check out my suggestions and scroll down to the printable instructional card for all of the Italian additions we love when creating this delicious healthy recipe.
Healthy Lifestyle
Eating healthy is delicious and satisfying.
Adapting this recipe for all vegetarians is easy leaving the meats out.
You can make this all meats, all vegetables or just with mixed greens of all kinds.
The dressing makes this super delicious and the icing on the cake as they say.
Don't forget to get that hard-crusted Italian bread or my Grandma's Tuscan Garlic Bread that goes perfectly with this meal!
The Salad Dressing
I always make my own homemade Italian salad dressing, it's my mom's recipe and easy.
Of course, you can use store-bought if you have another favorite, but to me the dressing it the best part of any salad.
You may also like my Ranch, Blue Cheese Dressing, or Greek Dressing if you prefer a different kind.
Ingredients For This Recipe
scroll to the recipe card for exact measurements
- pepperoncini
- canned artichoke hearts wedges drained and rinsed1 cup marinated mushrooms
- mixed green pitted olives, Kalamata olives, and black cured olives
- Genoa salami cubed
- mozzarella cubed
- roasted red peppers sliced
- head romaine, cut into ribbons and add ice to the bowl until ready to serve to keep crisp
- Plum tomatoes Sliced
- Fresh Parsley
- Extra sharp chunks of Provolone
- Garnish:
- Long strands of Pecorino Romano grated cheese
- salad dressing recipe to follow in the recipe card
Other Options for this Salad:
- prosciutto chopped
- soppressata
- mortadella
- thin shreds of hot capicola
- chopped, pepperoni cut up
- hard-boiled egg slices
- any cheeses diced
- chunk tuna in olive oil
- finely chopped cucumbers
- chickpeas
- cannellini white beans
- lupini beans
- marinated vegetables sliced mushrooms
- zucchini shreds
- red finely diced onion
- diced celery
- mixed green beans salad
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Escarole
Escarole is a delicious green crisp Italian lettuce.
It is part of the chicory family, which means it's related to other greens like endive, radicchio, and other bitter greens.
Some folks are not fond of this green as it is said to be a tad bitter.
Substitute Romaine, mixed greens, spring mix, baby spinach, or any other kind you prefer.
Iceberg has the least benefits when it comes to vitamins but if that's what you like, then use it.
Adapt away and enjoy a great Italian antipasto your way!
Italian Escarole Antipasto Recipe
Yield: 4 cups
Prep time: 15 MCook time: Total time: 15 M
This hearty antipasto salad is full of olives and crisp escarole, mozzarella cheese, and salami. Makes a perfect meal, just add a slice of Italian hard-crusted garlic bread.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini
- 1 cup canned artichoke hearts wedges drained and rinsed
- 1 cup marinated mushrooms
- 1/2 cup mixed green pitted olives, Kalamata olives, and black cured olives
- 4 ounces Genoa salami cubed
- 2 ounces mozzarella cubed
- 1 cup roasted red peppers sliced
- 1 head romaine, cut into ribbons and add ice to the bowl until ready to serve to keep crisp
- 2 or 3 Plum tomatoes Sliced
- Fresh Parsley
- Extra sharp chunks of Provolone
- Garnish:
- Long strands of Pecorino Romano grated cheese
- Optional: Proscuitto chopped, mortadella, soppressata, thin shreds of hot capicola, chopped, pepperoni cut up, hard-boiled egg slices, mozzarella diced, chunk tuna in olive oil, finely chopped cucumbers, chickpeas or cannellini white beans, marinated vegetables, sliced mushrooms or zucchini shreds, diced onions, lupini beans.
- Italian Homemade Salad Dressing Recipe see below
Instructions:
- Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss with the freshly made dressing and pour over ribbons of fresh crisp escarole. Garnish with grated cheese.
- Salad Dressing Recipe:
- 1 clove finely minced garlic
- 1/4 cup of each balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon each(use fresh when available)parsley, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes,
- salt, pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Place all ingredients into a mason jar and whisk together until evenly blended. This will keep fresh for 1 week if you make it ahead of time.
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Disclosure: This recipe was posted in 2013, edited and re-published in 2020.