• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hungry Healthy Happy
  • Slow Cooker
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • FREE eBook
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Slow Cooker
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • FREE eBook
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Let's get social!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Slow Cooker
    • About
    • Recipe Index
    • FREE eBook
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Let's get social!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Salad

    Italian Chopped Salad

    Published: Sep 29, 2018 · Modified: Feb 26, 2021 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links · 36 Comments

    407 shares
    • 23
    • 68
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Jump to Recipe
    A bowl of Italian Chopped Salad with a text title overlay.

    This Italian Chopped Salad is basically all of your favourite fresh Italian flavours, topped with delicious Parma Ham. A base of crunchy greens topped with roasted potatoes, sweet and sour orange and grapefruit, crunchy pine nuts and all brought together with a sweet balsamic dressing.

    Parma ham sat upon a chopped salad containing leaves, tomatoes, fruit and nuts.

    This Italian Chopped Salad really does have it all! I love the combination of the sweet and salty, as well as how much texture and crunch there is. Sometimes I have a big bowl of it as a main meal, and other times it is a side dish.

    It is filling enough as a main meal if you have a big enough portion, because you have the roasted potatoes to bulk it out and the delicious ham on top for a protein boost. Make a big batch of this on a Sunday and you have an easy salad for the rest of the week.

    It's so easy to adapt this recipe and use up what ever you have in your fridge. We have made it with some celery in before, used a different selection of greens and even crumbled some goats cheese on top. 

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love it
    • Ingredients needed
    • Step by step
    • What to serve it with
    • Salad dressing
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • More salad recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • A delicious and filling salad
    • Easy to adapt
    • Colourful and vibrant
    • Stores well for food prep
    • Great for serving up to guests

    Ingredients needed

    All the ingredients needed to make this recipe on a wooden surface.
    • Potatoes - Roasted potatoes help to bulk this salad out and make it more filling. We used baby potatoes, however you could dice a larger potato and roast that instead.
    • Lettuce - This is the base of the salad and you can use your favourite salad greens. We used a mixture of romaine and rocket (arugula), as the romaine has a nice crunch to it and the rocket has a lovely peppery flavour.
    • Spinach - We mixed some spinach in to the lettuce mixture, as it adds a nice iron boost to the salad.
    • Pepper - Orange bell peppers not only add a nice pop of colour to this chopped salad, but it also adds some sweetness, that cuts through the saltiness of the parma ham.
    • Tomatoes - We used cherry tomatoes to add colour and flavour to the salad. You could dice up a larger tomato or even use sun dried tomatoes, which would add a more intense tomato flavour.
    • Orange and grapefruit - We love fruit in a salad, and find that orange and grapefruit go perfectly with the saltiness of the ham.
    • Pine nuts - These add a nice crunch to the finished salad. You could swap them for chopped walnuts or even sunflower seeds.
    • Sultanas - Add some extra fruit flavour with dried fruit. We used sultanas, but you could used dried cherries or cranberries instead.
    • Oil - Try to use the best quality olive oil that you can, as you really will be able to taste the difference.
    • Vinegar - We used balsamic vinegar, as it has such a lovely flavour. But you could swap it for an apple cider vinegar instead if you prefer.
    • Lemon - This really lightens up the whole dressing. Freshly squeezed is always best.
    • Garlic - This adds a punch of flavour to the dressing. Fresh is always best, but you could use ready chopped garlic from a jar if you prefer.
    • Herbs - We used fresh basil and dried oregano, as they add a lovely Italian flavour to the salad.
    • Parmesan - It's not an Italian salad without parmesan, right? If you don't like parmesan, then you could swap it for mozzarella or even a goats cheese.
    • Parma Ham - These adds plenty of protein and flavour to the salad. You could use any ham, but we love the flavour and quality of parma ham. You could also use pepperoni, or chorizo.

    A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

    Step by step

    One: Put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and par-boil for 5-6 minutes. Drain and then put in a baking tray with a teaspoon of oil and put in a preheated oven at 200°C for 35 minutes.
    Two: In a large bowl, add the rocket, spinach, romaine, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, orange, grapefruit.
    Three: In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, basil and oregano.
    Four: Pour the dressing over the chopped salad in the bowl and add the pine nuts and sultanas.
    Five: Mix the salad well.
    Six: Serve in a bowl and top with the Parmesan and Parma Ham.

    Six photo collage of the steps to make this salad.

    What to serve it with

    Thanks to the potatoes and ham, this is a hearty and filling enough salad as it is. If you are eating it as a main, then just serving it with some Homemade Flatbread or even some garlic bread would be enough. However, if you are serving it as a side, then we have some suggestions on what would go really well with it:

    • BBQ Chicken Pizza
    • Baked Chicken Burger
    • Perfect Roast Chicken
    • Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
    • Honey Mustard Salmon
    • Stuffed Chicken Breast
    A chopped salad of lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, fruit, nuts and parma ham.

    Salad dressing

    Let's talk about this Italian Salad Dressing - you are going to want to drink it straight from the mixing bowl. It's sweet, it's salty, it's creamy, and it clings to this chopped salad.

    A mixture of the best quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a little lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, fresh basil and dried oregano really bring this salad together.

    A small bowl containing a herby salad dressing.

    FAQs

    Is an Italian chopped salad healthy?

    A salad is always a good opportunity to have lots of colours in your meals, but that doesn't guarantee that it will be healthy. We have packed lots of vegetables in to ours, but it isn't low calories because of the potatoes and also it is quite salty because of the ham. Portion control is key with this salad.

    How to make a vegetarian chopped salad.

    You can easily make a vegetarian version of this by leaving out the ham and swapping the parmesan for a vegetarian alternative. Add some vegetarian protein by mixing some cooked chickpeas in to the salad.

    How to store an Italian chopped salad.

    You can store this salad in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. After that it will start to get soggy.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • Add a little extra saltiness by topping this Italian Chopped Salad with some olives.
    • Make a big batch of this and keep it in your fridge for easy side dishes or work lunches throughout the week.
    • Finish the dish with some shaved parmesan or crumbled goats cheese.
    • Try chopped the Parma Ham up and frying it to add some crispiness to the salad.

    More salad recipes

    • Clementine and leftover turkey salad in a bowl topped with pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.
      Leftover Turkey Salad
    • Spicy Steak Salad in a large white bowl.
      Spicy Steak Salad with Chermoula Dressing
    • A white bow containing Cajun Salmon Salad.
      Cajun Salmon Salad
    • Chicken Pasta Salad in a large round bowl surrounded by lemon, cheese and basil leaves
      Chicken Pasta Salad

    If you’ve tried this Italia salad, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Italian Chopped Salad with Parma Ham in a large white bowl.

    Italian Chopped Salad

    By: Dannii Martin
    This Italian Chopped Salad is basically all of your favourite fresh Italian flavours, topped with delicious Parma Ham.
    A circular logo saying GF.
    Gluten Free
    5 from 27 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Lunch, Salad
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep: 10 minutes mins
    Cook: 35 minutes mins
    Total: 45 minutes mins
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 250kcal
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a carton of milk.
    Dairy
    An illustration of a cow's head.
    Meat
    An illustration of a wine glass.
    Sulphites
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    Salad:

    • 50 g (2.5 cups) Rocket (arugula)
    • 0.5 head Romain lettuce - finely chopped
    • 75 g (2.5 cups) Spinach - finely chopped
    • 6 New potatoes - quartered
    • 1 Orange bell pepper - diced
    • 10 Cherry tomatoes - halved
    • 0.5 Orange - diced
    • 0.5 Grapefruit - diced
    • 2 tablespoon Pine nuts
    • 4 tablespoon Sultanas
    • 15 g (0.25 cups) Parmesan - grated
    • 6 slices Parma Ham
    • 1 teaspoon Olive oil

    Dressing:

    • 3 tablespoon Olive oil
    • 3 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
    • 1 Lemon - (juice only)
    • 2 Garlic cloves - crushed
    • 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper
    • 0.5 bunch Fresh basil - finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon Dried oregano

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
    • Put 6 New potatoes in a pan of boiling water and par-boil for 5-6 minutes. Drain and then put on a baking tray with 1 teaspoon Olive oil and put in the oven for 35 minutes.
    • In a large bowl, add 50 g Rocket (arugula), 75 g Spinach, 0.5 head Romain lettuce, 1 Orange bell pepper, 10 Cherry tomatoes, 0.5 Orange and 0.5 Grapefruit.
    • In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoon Olive oil, 3 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar, juice of 1 Lemon, 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper, 2 Garlic cloves, 0.5 bunch Fresh basil and 1 tablespoon Dried oregano.
    • Pour the dressing over the chopped salad in the bowl and add 2 tablespoon Pine nuts and 4 tablespoon Sultanas.
    • Mix the salad well.
    • Serve in a bowl and top with 15 g Parmesan and 6 slices Parma Ham.

    Recipe tips

    • Add a little extra saltiness by topping this Italian Chopped Salad with some olives.
    • Make a big batch of this and keep it in your fridge for easy side dishes or work lunches throughout the week.
    • Finish the dish with some shaved parmesan or crumbled goats cheese.
    • Try chopped the Parma Ham up and frying it to add some crispiness to the salad.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4150IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 2.5mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

    You'll love these too...

    • A red bowl full of green bean salad.
      Green Bean Salad
    • A large bowl of aubergine salad next to a yellow towel.
      Aubergine Salad
    • A bowl of watercress salad with a wooden fork and spoon in it.
      Watercress Salad
    • Asparagus salad on a large round plate.
      Asparagus Salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Frankie

      October 01, 2018 at 4:22 pm

      Roasted potatoes in a salad sound amazing. Never thought to add orange and grapefruit. Sounds like a great combination!

      Reply
    2. Irene

      October 01, 2018 at 4:21 pm

      We usually just get generic Italian Ham, so it was interesting to read about what makes Parma Ham so special.

      Love the sound of this salad too. I think even my husband would like it!

      Reply
    3. Michael Sharp

      October 01, 2018 at 6:09 am

      5 stars
      Can’t wait to try this delicious sounding salad! if it is as good as all the other HHH
      recipes.

      Reply
    4. Mirlene

      October 01, 2018 at 4:01 am

      5 stars
      What a pretty salad! The flavors are added are so bold. Very much interested in trying this recipe!!! Great recipe.

      Reply
    5. Sandi

      October 01, 2018 at 1:29 am

      5 stars
      I bet the mix of flavors is a perfect way to enjoy a lunch on the go! I hope to try very soon.

      Reply
    6. Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon

      October 01, 2018 at 1:06 am

      5 stars
      How nice that you got to visit the factory! (And parma ham is prosciutto, right?) I would totally have this chopped salad for dinner with a few olives and some shaved parmesan added in. Yum!

      Reply
    7. Amy | The Cook Report

      September 30, 2018 at 11:00 pm

      5 stars
      I've been trying to eat more salads and this looks like the perfect way to make them more appealing!

      Reply
    8. Sara

      September 30, 2018 at 8:57 pm

      5 stars
      This looks like such a great salad! It has so many delicious ingredients and that ham... oh. my. yum!

      Reply
    9. Kelli Kerkman

      September 30, 2018 at 8:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is my kind of salad! Looks awesome for lunch or dinner

      Reply
    10. Linda T

      September 30, 2018 at 6:43 pm

      I love that you have still make a salad winter friendly. Adding hot potatoes is a great idea and this is a new way for me to use Parma ham.

      Reply
    11. Anna

      September 30, 2018 at 6:42 pm

      Now that’s what I call a salad Dannii. This would be perfect for the birthday lunch I am throwing my mum next weekend.

      Reply
    12. Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme

      September 30, 2018 at 5:21 pm

      5 stars
      Sounds amazing! Also, LOVE parma ham!

      Reply
    13. Holly

      September 30, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      How interesting that you were able to spend time in the Parma Ham production factory. I'd love to get a close up view on how parma ham goes from farm to table.

      Reply
    14. sue | the view from great island

      September 30, 2018 at 3:56 pm

      What a stunning salad! I love the rosettes of Parma ham :)

      Reply
    15. Amanda

      September 30, 2018 at 3:35 pm

      5 stars
      I love a hearty salad. This looks so good, especially the Parma ham. I can’t wait to give this a try!

      Reply
    16. Valentina

      September 29, 2018 at 10:46 pm

      5 stars
      what a beautiful salad! LOVE Parma ham! And adding potatoes is brilliant. Such a great main course for dinner!

      Reply
    17. Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites

      September 29, 2018 at 10:40 pm

      This salad sounds so good! So many delicious flavors and that ham - yum!!!

      Reply
    18. Caroline

      September 29, 2018 at 9:25 pm

      5 stars
      I visited a prosciutto producer earlier this year as well and we loved the experience - both interesting and delicious, of course. Your salad looks great, a tasty mix for sure.

      Reply
    19. Marisa Moore

      September 29, 2018 at 8:30 pm

      5 stars
      Love all the goodness you've put into this salad! So super satisfying!

      Reply
    20. Jill

      September 29, 2018 at 8:20 pm

      5 stars
      What a fancy and delicious looking salad. I like the sweet and salty combo of the ham and citrus!

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Made this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    A bowl of Italian Chopped Salad with a text title overlay.
    Dannii in hat and glasses stood on a beach.

    Welcome!
    My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.
    Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

    About HHH»

    Salad Recipes

    • A red bowl full of green bean salad.
      Green Bean Salad
    • A large bowl of aubergine salad next to a yellow towel.
      Aubergine Salad
    • A bowl of watercress salad with a wooden fork and spoon in it.
      Watercress Salad
    • Asparagus salad on a large round plate.
      Asparagus Salad
    • Halloumi salad on a round blue plate.
      Halloumi Salad
    • Rocket salad in a large serving bowl.
      Rocket Salad

    Featured in

    Collage of media outlet logos.

    Popular Recipes

    • A pile of air fryer chips.
      The Best Air Fryer Chips
    • 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry on a blue and white plate.
      10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry
    • Easy tomato pasta sauce coating tagliatelle on a white plate.
      Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce
    • Slow cooker beef brisket sliced up on a serving board.
      Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

    Footer

    A bowl of Italian Chopped Salad with a text title overlay.

    Help & Information

    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Advertising
    • Blog

    About us

    • About us
    • Newsletter Sign Up!
    • Press enquiries
    • Web Stories
    • FAQ

    Follow us

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube

    ^ back to top

    Featured in

    A selection of publications that Hungry Healthy Happy has been featured in

    As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2011-2023 Hungry Healthy Happy • All Rights Reserved • Site Design by D Martin

    • 23
    • 68
    407 shares