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This Chopped Grinder Salad is a twist on the beloved Italian Grinder sub! A hearty and satisfying mix of crunchy lettuce, savory cold cuts, pepperoncini peppers, red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, and delicious provolone cheese tossed in a homemade, creamy, and tangy dressing! All the flavors, without the bread!
What is an Italian Grinder?
An Italian Grinder sandwich is simply a sub sandwich or hoagie (depending on where you're from and what you call it!). It is a type of sandwich consisting of a long, crusted bread roll (aka hoagie roll) filled with a variety of ingredients including Italian deli meats, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, peppers, and various condiments such as mayo, mustard, or olive oil and vinegar.
The sandwich is usually served cold, but toasting is a popular option, too. The combination of savory meats, creamy cheese, fresh veggies, and tangy condiments makes it a popular, beloved sandwich all over the US!
The grinder name itself seems to come from New England, and while there are a few different origin stories, the most common is that the term "grinder" comes from the need to "grind" one's teeth into the tough Italian bread that the sandwich is served on. Regardless of where it comes from, the only important thing is that it's absolutely delicious!
What Makes This Grinder Salad Recipe Great
Today, we're switching things up and making an Italian Grinder Salad version of this beloved sub. All of the same tastes, flavors, and ingredients of an Italian sub, without the bread! A gluten-free, hearty salad with a tangy and delicious creamy dressing!
I love this salad because it is such a satisfying, filling, and scrumptious blend of all of your favorite sandwich ingredients in a lower-carb, salad form. It’s easy to whip up for lunch or dinner and makes a great recipe for meal prep.
Ingredient Notes
Salad Ingredients
- iceberg lettuce: You can substitute Romaine lettuce if desired.
- red onion
- chopped pepperoncini peppers or banana peppers
- cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- cucumbers
- salami
- deli turkey: I used Applegate Farms brand.
- deli ham: I used Applegate Farms brand.
- provolone cheese
Grinder Salad Dressing
- mayonnaise: Use regular or vegan mayonnaise, depending on what you have on hand.
- plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- red wine vinegar
- pepperocini juice
- grated parmesan cheese
- garlic powder
- oregano
- salt
- black pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Combine the lettuce, onion, pepperoncinis, tomatoes, cucumbers, salami, turkey, ham, and provolone in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2
Add the dressing ingredients to a separate bowl or mason jar with a lid and whisk (or shake) until smooth.
Step 3
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Variations and Substitutions: Feel free to customize this salad the way you would your sub sandwich! Add more veggies (bell peppers), different meats (roast beef, chicken, etc.), or spices (Italian seasoning and/or red pepper flakes work well!), or substitute ingredients you don't prefer.
- Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free version, omit the Greek yogurt and use all mayo, and omit the cheese or use vegan cheese instead.
Serving & Storage Tips
Serve as a complete meal for lunch or dinner. Once tossed, the salad should be eaten right away. Stored leftovers can get soggy, but if you want to save them, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
To meal prep, store the undressed salad in individual airtight containers and the dressing portioned into small jars with lids. Toss before serving and enjoy!
More Delicious Recipes
Chopped Italian Grinder Salad Recipe (with Creamy Dressing)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped pepperocinis
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup cucumbers, diced
- 10 slices salami, chopped
- 8 slices deli turkey, chopped – I like Applegate brand
- 8 slices deli ham, chopped – I like Applegate brand
- 4 slices provolone cheese, chopped
Grinder Salad Dressing
- ⅓ cup mayo
- ⅓ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp pepperocini juice
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Combine the lettuce, onion, pepperoncinis, tomatoes, cucumbers, salami, turkey, ham, and provolone in a bowl.
- Add the dressing ingredients to a separate bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
Expert Tips
- Variations and Substitutions: Feel free to customize this salad the way you would your sub sandwich! Add more veggies (bell peppers), different meats (roast beef, chicken, etc.), or spices (Italian seasoning and/or red pepper flakes work well!), or substitute ingredients you don't prefer.
- Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free version, omit the Greek yogurt and use all mayo, and omit the cheese or use vegan cheese instead.
Serving & Storage Tips
Serve as a complete meal for lunch or dinner. Once tossed, the salad should be eaten right away. Stored leftovers can get soggy, but if you want to save them, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. To meal prep, store the undressed salad in individual airtight containers and the dressing portioned into small jars with lids. Toss before serving and enjoy!Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
This is on repeat like so many of Mary’s recipes. The dressing is divine. I sometimes thin it out with Fairlife skim milk or extra vinegar.
I’m making this for the second time tonight! I love how easy to make and tasty this salad is. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
ONG this salad is the BEST!! I was craving a sub but this satisfied that craving COMPLETELY!! Will be on regular rotation.
This has become a family fave!!!
I LOVE the dressing!! Made the recipe and was very good but really it was the dressing that put it over the top! I have now bookmarked the dressing recipe in my recipe box for my use. I made it with greek yourget (0 fat) and Hellmans. Perfect!! Thanks!!!