This Italian Chopped Salad Sandwich recipe is so easy to make and is packed with flavor and texture. The recipe has gone viral on TikTok and across the internet. The viral Italian chopped salad sandwich ingredients - which include deli meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, banana peppers, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper - will be layered on a cutting board. Next, you'll use a large knife to chop the ingredients. Then you'll scoop the chopped salad ingredients onto a hoagie roll, sub bun, or bread of choice to create a chopped salad sandwich.
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What is a Viral Italian chopped salad sandwich?
A viral Italian chopped salad sandwich is a popular recipe that went viral on places like TikTok. It first went viral in the spring of 2023 and then again in February 2024. It features a twist on the traditional Italian chopped salad. Instead of eating the chopped salad by itself, you eat it on bread. It typically includes a combination of fresh Italian salad ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, salami, pepperoni, provolone cheese, and a basic vinaigrette.
Ingredient List
A chopped salad sandwich can easily be modified based on the ingredients you already have on hand. You can add or subtract from the ingredients list. To make an Italian chopped salad sandwich, the following ingredients are a basic framework for this recipe. You can really have fun with it though!
- Pepperoni
- Salami
- Ham
- Provolone cheese
- Tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Banana peppers/pepperoncini peppers
- Red Onion
- Mayonnaise
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Salt & pepper
- Dried Italian seasoning
- Bread of choice (such as hoagie rolls or Italian bread)
Ingredient Tips
All of the ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery store. Here are some helpful tips as you shop for your ingredients:
- Purchase pre-shredded lettuce to eliminate the prep time for washing and shredding a head of lettuce.
- Use Roma tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes since they have fewer seeds and less water content. This will prevent the chopped salad mixture from becoming soggy too quickly.
- Pepperoni and salami come in different sizes. I used the 1 inch size of pepperoni and the larger 3 inch size of salami.
How to Make
As recommended previously, it's easiest to purchase a bag of pre-shredded lettuce so you can skip a step. Otherwise, start by washing and shredding some lettuce. Add it to the bottom of your cutting board to create your base layer.
Next, add a layer of meat. This would include the ham, pepperoni, and salami or any other meat of choice.
Add the provolone cheese. Top with the remaining ingredients - sliced red onion, banana peppers, and sliced tomatoes.
Use a sharp knife to chop all of the ingredients. The ingredients should be in small pieces and resemble a chopped salad.
At this point I find it best to transfer the ingredients to a large bowl before adding the remaining ingredients.
Finally, add the wet ingredients to the mixture: mayonnaise, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt & pepper, and dried Italian seasoning. Thoroughly mix together.
Serve on a hoagie roll, sub bun, or bread of choice.
📖 Recipe
Italian Chopped Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4-6 hoagie or sub rolls
- 2 cups lettuce (shredded)
- 10 slices pepperoni
- 6 slices salami
- 6 slices ham
- 1 tomato (sliced)
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- ¼ cup banana peppers or pepperoncini
- ½ small red onion (sliced)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- salt & pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Begin by washing and shredding the lettuce. Place it on the cutting board to create the base layer.
- Layer the ham, pepperoni, and salami (or preferred meat) on top.
- Add provolone cheese, then layer with sliced red onion, banana peppers, and tomatoes.
- Chop all ingredients into small pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add mayonnaise, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix thoroughly.
- Serve on a hoagie roll, sub bun, or bread of choice.
Tips
- After chopping and mixing all the ingredients for the Italian chopped salad, consider placing it back in the refrigerator to chill. This will enhance the flavors and provide a refreshing, cool temperature when served.
- If you decided to use pre-shredded lettuce, I recommend waiting until after you chop the other ingredients before mixing it in. I felt like the pre-shredded lettuce I used was rather flimsy. Mixing in the pre-shredded lettuce will help the lettuce remain crisp and crunchy.
Storage
To store this Italian chopped salad, transfer it to an airtight container and promptly refrigerate it. It's best to consume the salad within a couple of days for optimal flavor and texture. Before serving again, give it a gentle toss and then scoop onto your sandwich bread of choice.
My Honest Review
This recipe is absolutely a keeper! I never know how a TikTok viral recipe will actually turn out, but I loved everything about this Italian chopped salad sandwich.
In fact, my kids also loved it (granted, they aren't picky eaters). I wasn't sure what they would think of it and had offered them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches instead, but all three of my kids decided to give it a try and gave it "two thumbs up." However, I could see how young kids may not like all of the different flavors and textures packed into one bite.
We usually eat leftovers for lunch so I imagine making a large bowl of the Italian chopped salad filling and keeping it in the refrigerator to eat over a couple of days. I like the fact that it would allow me to enjoy a quick sandwich that is also tasty!
This grinder style sandwich would also make a great and unique appetizer style dish to bring to a party or to take camping or to the lake as long as you could keep it cold.
What did you think of this Italian chopped salad?
Lauren
This is one of my favorite sandwich recipes!