Skip the sandwich and make this chopped grinder salad instead. It’s cool, crisp, and packed with flavor.

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This grinder chopped salad is everything you love about a loaded deli sandwich in a cool crispy salad form. It’s exactly what you crave on a hot summer night when turning on the oven is the last thing you feel like doing.

A bowl of Grinder Chopped Salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and veggies sits on a wooden table, surrounded by grape tomatoes, a salt and pepper grinder set, and wooden utensils.

This salad tastes like your favorite Italian Grinder Sub, only fresher and lighter. It’s packed with chopped meats, cheese, and crunchy vegetables, all tied together with creamy Italian dressing.

When To Serve It

Make this easy salad ahead for an easy dinner or lunch that feels like more than just salad. The only thing you need to plan on is dressing the salad right before you serve it so it doesn’t get soggy.

It also works great as a light main dish or as a hearty side alongside grilled chicken or burgers. Or bring it to a potluck and watch how fast the bowl gets scraped clean.

Nine bowls featuring ingredients for a Grinder Chopped Salad: roasted red peppers, Italian dressing, pepperoni, dried salami, banana peppers, cherry tomatoes, honey ham, romaine lettuce, smoked turkey, and provolone cheese.

Gather Your Ingredients

Grab everything in one trip to the store to make prep fast and easy. Once you’ve got your ingredients, it’s just a matter of chopping and tossing.

romaine lettuce
smoked turkey
honey ham
dried salami
pepperoni
provolone cheese
grape or cherry tomatoes
banana peppers
roasted red peppers
creamy Italian dressing

Change It Up!

Use whatever deli meats and cheeses you like or already have on hand. Try switching in roast beef, chicken, mozzarella, or even a few olives for something different. Add croutons for crunchy twist!

Want to leave out the meat or need a meatless main dish salad? Drain a can of garbanzo beans and add them instead of meat. I’ve done this several times and I can attest it makes a great vegetarian dish!

Or try our popular Grinder Pasta Salad for a potluck or picnic salad that makes everyone happy!

A bowl of Grinder Chopped Salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, ham, and bell peppers sits on a wooden table beside salt and pepper shakers and whole tomatoes.

Storing This Salad

Because this salad is best eaten the day it’s made it doesn’t store really well, it will get soggy. But if you have leftovers store them in an airtight container. It won’t be the best but you can save it and eat it later, it won’t be as fresh.

If you’re making it for later keep the dressing on the side and store everything in an airtight container to keep it from getting soggy. Just toss it together at the last moment and serve it.