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Fresh Chopped Italian Salad with Mozzarella

Fresh Chopped Italian Salad with Mozzarella - featured image
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A quick and easy Italian salad combining fresh vegetables, creamy mozzarella, and briny olives tossed in a tangy homemade vinaigrette. Perfect for potlucks, lunches, or as a bright side dish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large cucumber, diced
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), drained and halved
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
  • ½ cup green olives, sliced (optional)
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts (optional)
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas (optional)

Instructions

  1. Wash all fresh produce. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the red onion, basil, and parsley, keeping all pieces roughly the same size.
  2. Drain the mozzarella balls well and halve them. Slice the Kalamata and green olives thinly, tasting to check saltiness and adjust if needed.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and honey if using until emulsified and smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine all chopped veggies, mozzarella, and olives. Pour the dressing over and toss gently but thoroughly to coat without squashing the mozzarella.
  5. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts or walnuts on top if using and gently toss again. Check seasoning and adjust with more salt or pepper if needed.
  6. Serve immediately or chill for up to an hour to let flavors marry. If chilling, add nuts and cheese just before serving to maintain texture.

Notes

Chop ingredients uniformly for balanced bites. Avoid over-mixing to prevent mozzarella from breaking down and making the salad watery. Soak olives briefly in warm water if too salty. Prepare veggies and dressing separately if making ahead and toss just before serving to keep salad crisp.

Nutrition

Keywords: Italian salad, chopped salad, mozzarella salad, healthy salad, easy salad, fresh salad, potluck recipe, vegetarian salad, gluten-free salad

Find it online: https://flurpchef.com/fresh-chopped-italian-salad-with-mozzarella-easy-healthy-recipe/