Easy to Prepare Italian Chopped Salad

This salad is easy to prepare, it is light, it is crunchy, and best of all, it is flavorful. Serve it before a meal, serve it as a side dish, or enjoy it as a main meal! This recipe was created from my love of all things Italian! I was hoping to recreate the “old school” Italian chopped salad served at one of my favorite restaurants. Buon appetite!

Ingredients

Lemon Vinaigrette

• 1/4  cup extra virgin oil 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for the Salad

• 1 small head iceberg lettuce
• 1 head radicchio
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 4 ounces fresh pearl mozzarella, drained
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. First, prepare the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, shallot, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Cut the iceberg lettuce in half through the core, then cut out the core. Slice the lettuce lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. Repeat the same cutting process with the radicchio.
3. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, radicchio, tomatoes, chickpeas, and mozzarella.
4. Drizzle the salad with the dressing, and toss gently to coat.
5. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. (If you would like to chop up the salad even more, use a salad chopper, and go for it!!)