Start by washing all your fresh ingredients thoroughly under cold water. Chop the crispy romaine lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, and crunchy cucumbers into bite-sized pieces, and finely slice the red onion. If the onion’s flavor is too strong for your taste, soak the diced pieces in cold water for about 10 minutes to mellow it out. Place all chopped ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper to create the vinaigrette. Seal the jar tightly and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds until everything is well emulsified. Open the jar and taste the dressing, adjusting the seasoning or acidity as desired.

In the bowl with the chopped vegetables, add the rinsed chickpeas, slices of Genoa salami, creamy mozzarella balls, tangy pepperoncini, and sweet roasted red peppers. Gently toss everything together to mix the ingredients.

Drizzle a few tablespoons of your freshly made vinaigrette over the salad mixture, tossing gently to ensure that everything is lightly coated. Taste a small bite and add more vinaigrette if desired. The salad should have a balanced, flavorful profile.

You can serve your Italian Chopped Salad immediately or, if preparing in advance, store the dressing separately in the refrigerator to keep the salad’s crispness.