Antipasto salad is an Italian antipasto platter tossed in a bowl: salami, provolone, mozzarella, olives, roasted peppers and artichokes in a sharp red wine vinaigrette. Antipasto means "before the meal", but this one is happy to be the meal. It needs no cooking, improves in the fridge and feeds a crowd.

Every antipasto salad needs something pickled to keep all that salami and cheese lively. Ours uses halved pickled crimini mushrooms, whole caps with garlic and thyme, plus a spoonful of their brine in the dressing. They hold their bite in the bowl, and the brine does the work of a second vinegar.

Below: the recipe, the dressing, a pasta version, variations, and how far ahead to make it.

Antipasto salad recipe

Serves 6 to 8 as a side, or 4 as a main. About 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes in the fridge.

Ingredients

4 oz (115 g) Genoa salami, cut into strips
4 oz (115 g) soppressata or pepperoni, cut into strips
6 oz (170 g) provolone, cut into cubes
8 oz (225 g) small fresh mozzarella balls, drained
1 cup pickled crimini mushrooms, drained and halved (about half a jar), plus 2 tbsp of the brine for the dressing
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 jar (12 oz / 340 g) roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
1 jar (12 oz / 340 g) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
½ cup green olives, such as Castelvetrano
½ cup Kalamata olives
¼ cup sliced pepperoncini
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
1 can (15 oz / 425 g) chickpeas, rinsed (optional)
4 cups chopped romaine or arugula (optional)
A handful of fresh basil and parsley
For the dressing: ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, the 2 tbsp mushroom brine, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 small garlic clove (grated), 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and black pepper

Method

Make the dressing. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mushroom brine, mustard, garlic and oregano in a bowl or shake them in a jar, with a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper.
Prepare everything else. Cut the salami and provolone into bite-size pieces, halve the pickled crimini and the tomatoes, and slice the peppers, artichokes, pepperoncini and onion.
Toss. Put everything except the greens and herbs in a large bowl, pour over the dressing and toss well.
Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors come together.
Serve. If you are using greens, fold them in just before serving, then scatter with torn basil and parsley.

"I was mostly worried they would be mushy, but the texture is actually really nice and firm. The black shimeji has been great in salads."

— Evan B., Golden Grove customer

A jar holds 250 g (about 9 oz) of mushrooms once drained, so one jar makes this salad twice, or once with plenty left for a board. Pickled crimini is the classic choice; pickled black shimeji, savory and tender, is the one Evan puts in his salads. A 2-Pack of crimini covers the salad and the antipasto platter for the next party.

What goes in an antipasto salad

Think of it as a platter you can toss. Choose one or two from each group:

Cured meats: Genoa salami, soppressata, pepperoni, capicola, prosciutto or ham.
Cheese: provolone, fresh mozzarella, shaved Parmigiano or cubes of aged Asiago.
Briny things: olives, pepperoncini, giardiniera, marinated artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and pickled mushrooms.
Fresh vegetables: cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers, red onion, cucumber, celery or fennel.
Greens (optional): romaine for crunch, arugula for pepper, radicchio for bitterness. Deli-style antipasto salads skip greens altogether.
Something hearty (optional): chickpeas or white beans make it a main course.
Something crunchy (optional): toasted pine nuts or garlic croutons, added just before serving so they stay crisp.

For the full Italian spread, see our guide to building an antipasto platter. Leftovers from a platter make tomorrow's salad, as long as they went back in the fridge within two hours.

Antipasto salad dressing

A red wine vinaigrette is the classic: about two parts olive oil to one part vinegar, with Dijon to hold it together, garlic and dried oregano. Swapping some of the vinegar for brine from a jar of pickled mushrooms adds savory depth without making it sharper. A good bottled Italian dressing works in a hurry. Dress the salad generously; the meat, cheese and beans soak a lot of it up.

Antipasto pasta salad

To turn it into antipasto pasta salad, add 8 oz (225 g) of short pasta, cooked, rinsed under cold water and drained well. Rotini, fusilli and farfalle hold the dressing best. Make one and a half times the dressing, since pasta drinks it, and toss again with a splash of dressing just before serving. For a creamy pickle version, try our dill pickle pasta salad.

Antipasto salad variations

Chopped antipasto salad: chop everything, greens included, into small, even pieces so every forkful gets a bit of everything. Romaine holds up best.
Italian deli style: no greens at all, just the meat, cheese, olives and marinated vegetables, dressed generously. It keeps the longest and travels best.
With tortellini: toss in 9 oz (255 g) of cheese tortellini, cooked and cooled, for a heartier salad.
Without meat: leave out the salami, add a second can of chickpeas or white beans, and use more provolone and mozzarella.
Spicy: use spicy soppressata, swap the pepperoncini for hot giardiniera, and add a pinch of chili flakes to the dressing.
For a crowd: double everything and serve it in a wide, shallow bowl so the good things don't sink to the bottom.

How far ahead to make it

Up to a day ahead: toss everything except the greens and herbs, cover and refrigerate. It tastes better the next day.
Leftovers: keep them covered in the fridge and eat them within 3 days. Add fresh greens to revive them.
At a party or picnic: serve it cold and don't leave it out for more than two hours; set the bowl over ice on a hot day.

What to serve with antipasto salad

As a starter, serve it with warm focaccia or crusty bread to mop up the dressing. As a side, it goes with pizza, lasagna, grilled chicken or sausages. It is a natural for potlucks and picnics, because it is made the day before and only needs its greens folded in. On a holiday table it sits happily beside the make-ahead bites in our Christmas appetizers.

Antipasto salad questions

What does antipasto include?

Traditionally cured meats, cheeses, olives, marinated and pickled vegetables, and bread, served before the meal. Antipasto salad puts the same things in one bowl with a vinaigrette.

What is the dressing for antipasto salad?

A red wine vinaigrette: olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. A spoonful of pickled mushroom brine makes it more savory.

Can you make antipasto salad ahead of time?

Yes. It is better made a few hours or a day ahead. Keep any greens separate and fold them in just before serving.

Is antipasto salad served cold?

Yes, cold or cool. Take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving so the cheese softens a little.

Can you use the brine from pickled mushrooms in salad dressing?

Yes. Use it in place of some of the vinegar. It brings the garlic and herbs from the jar with it.

What is the difference between antipasto and charcuterie?

Charcuterie means cured meats, and a charcuterie board is built around them. Antipasto is the Italian first course: cured meats too, but also cheese, olives, and marinated and pickled vegetables. Antipasto salad is antipasto tossed in a bowl.

The short version

Toss salami, provolone, mozzarella, olives, peppers, artichokes and halved pickled crimini in a red wine vinaigrette, chill for half an hour, and fold in greens at the end. When you are ready, start with a 2-Pack of pickled crimini, one jar for the salad and one for the board. For more, see our antipasto platter and antipasto skewers.

Antipasto Salad: An Easy Make-Ahead Recipe