Italian Hoagie Salad
Italian hoagie salad is a salad version of an Italian sub sandwich. Similar to an antipasto salad, it is made with fresh vegetables, delicious cheese, tasty salami, and spicy hot peppers. This salad is a perfect, lighter alternative to the traditional hoagie, and a great option for a tasty dinner!
If you’re after a lighter sandwich or a fresh take on an Italian classic, this Italian sub salad is your go-to. It’s packed with all the bold flavors you love: crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, sliced salami, and tangy pepperoncini. It’s topped with a drizzle of zesty Italian dressing.
Skip the bread but keep the satisfaction. This salad delivers a punch without the extra carbs, making it perfect for lunch or a quick dinner. Enjoy a delicious twist on your favorite Italian sub, now in a bowl.
🤍Why you will love this recipe
- Flavor! It’s refreshing, tangy, spicy and salty all in one bite!
- It’s versatile! You can use any combination of your favorite Italian hoagie.
- It’s a hearty and simple salad that can be served as a main course or a side dish.
Here is what you will need
This is an overview of the ingredients and steps to make this Italian grinder salad recipe; scroll down for a printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions.
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🛒Ingredients
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Salami
- Provolone Cheese
- Hard-boiled egg
- Olives
- Pepperoncini peppers or banana peppers
- Red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic Powder
- Oregano or Italian seasoning
🥄Equipment
- Large bowl
- Small bowl or jar (to mix the dressing)
How to make three ingredient salad
Prepare the ingredients: Rinse and dry the lettuce and tomatoes. Chop all of the ingredients into bite-sized pieces, and mix up the dressing in a small bowl or jar.
Step 1.
Place the prepared salad ingredients into a bowl.
Step 2.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Lettuce – You can use any lettuce in this salad. I like crunchy lettuce such as romaine lettuce or a mix of Boston lettuce and iceberg lettuce because the hold up well in a salad.
Tomatoes – I like to use cherry tomatoes, but any fresh tomato will work in this salad.
Onion – Any variety of onions will work in this salad. I like to use red onion for the extra pop of color; sweet or little bits of chopped green onions are also a good choice.
Salami – This is my usual go-to meat for this salad. Genoa salami that is sliced thin is a good choice.
You can use any combination of your favorite Italian meats such as capicola, sliced pepperoni, ham, or mortadella.
A hard-boiled egg is not a typical ingredient in Italian Hoagies, I like to use one for a little extra protein and flavor. It can easily be left out.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious hoagie salad as a main course with a side of garlic bread or homemade rolls.
This Italian salad recipe also tastes great with your favorite Italian meal, such as pasta with blush sauce or meat sauce. Turkey lasagna roll-ups or homemade manicotti.
This is also a great addition to a buffet table served with potato salad, macaroni salad, bean salad, pasta, and meats.
Recipe variations
Add beans – Add one-half to a cup of beans, such as white beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans, for a little extra plant-based protein.
Change up the cheese – Add to or replace the provolone cheese with parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese balls, gorgonzola,
Add more vegetables – Add any combination of vegetables to this salad such as cucumbers, bell pepper, shredded cabbage, brussels sprouts, crunchy kale, artichoke hearts, black olives avocado slices.
Roasted vegetables – Roast or grill some zucchini, eggplant, and colorful bell peppers. Drizzle oil or Italian dressing on them and add them to the Italian sub salad.
How to store leftover salad
This salad will last in the refrigerator for up to two days in an airtight container. If you plan on a leftover salad, leave the dressing off to avoid a leftover soggy salad.
💡Tips!
- Lightly dress the salad before serving and serve extra dressing on the side.
- Add a little extra crunch and toss croutons in the salad.
- For extra flavor, add a little bit of garlic powder and sea salt before adding the dressing.
Yes, you can prepare the ingredients for the salad ahead of time and store them in separate containers in the refrigerator. Just before serving, assemble the ingredients and add the dressing.
Yes, you can omit the meat, and use vegan deli slices or you can roast or grill marinated meaty portobello mushrooms and add them to the salad.
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Italian Hoagie Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Head Romaine Lettuce
- 1/2 cup Red Onion Chopped
- 1 cup Tomatoes Chopped
- 1 cup Olives Chopped
- 2 Eggs Hard Boiled
- 1/4 cup Pepperoncini Chopped
- 2 ounces Salami sliced thin and chopped
- 2 ounces Provolone cheese sliced thin and chopped
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the salad ingredients: rinse and dry 1 Head Romaine Lettuce, chop 1/2 cup Red Onion, 1 cup Tomatoes, 1 cup Olives, 2 hard boiled eggs, 1/4 cup Pepperoncini, 2 ounces Salami, and 2 ounces Provolone cheese
- Place all of the prepared salad ingredients into a large bowl
- Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or jar
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
