🥗🇮🇹🥑🍄🧀 Italian Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado-Mushroom Pesto & Melted Mozzarella
This vibrant and satisfying Italian chopped salad is loaded with classic ingredients, all tossed with a unique and indulgent creamy avocado-infused mushroom pesto sauce, topped with gooey melted mozzarella cheese. It's a fresh, fulfilling, and unexpectedly decadent salad experience!
Yields: 2-3 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Italian Chopped Salad:
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce (or a mix of romaine and iceberg/radicchio)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cucumber, diced
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion (optional, soak in ice water for 5 mins to mellow)
½ cup cubed or matchstick-cut provolone cheese
½ cup chopped salami or pepperoni
¼ cup sliced Kalamata olives
¼ cup sliced pepperoncini (mild pickled peppers)
¼ cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained (optional, for extra protein)
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped 🌿
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 🌿
For the Creamy Avocado-Mushroom Pesto Sauce with Melted Mozzarella:
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled 🥑
¼ cup fresh basil leaves 🌿
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 🧀
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 🍋
¼ cup cold water (or more, to reach desired consistency)
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese 🧀
Instructions:
Prepare Italian Chopped Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onion (if using), cubed provolone, chopped salami/pepperoni, sliced Kalamata olives, sliced pepperoncini, chickpeas (if using), chopped fresh basil, and chopped fresh parsley. Set aside.
Prepare Creamy Avocado-Mushroom Pesto Sauce:
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook until mushrooms are softened and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Transfer the cooked mushrooms and garlic to a food processor or blender. Add the ripe avocado, fresh basil leaves, 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
Pulse until a rough pesto forms. Gradually add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, blending until the sauce is creamy and smooth, reaching a desired drizzle-able consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Melt Mozzarella into Sauce (or directly on salad):
Skillet Method (Recommended for the sauce): Return the avocado-mushroom pesto sauce to the clean skillet (no need to wash if you just used it for mushrooms). Gently warm over low heat. Sprinkle the ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of the sauce. Cover the skillet and let it melt for 2-3 minutes until gooey and delicious. You will then spoon this warm, cheesy sauce over the salad.
Broiler Method (for individual servings): Once the salad is assembled on plates, you can spoon some sauce over each serving, then sprinkle with mozzarella and broil for 1-2 minutes until melted and bubbly (watch carefully to prevent burning). This works best if serving immediately.
Assemble & Serve:
If you melted the mozzarella into the sauce using the skillet method, pour the warm, cheesy creamy avocado-mushroom pesto sauce over the prepared Italian chopped salad in the large mixing bowl. Toss gently to coat all the ingredients.
Alternatively, divide the chopped salad onto individual plates or bowls, then spoon the warm, cheesy sauce over each serving.
Serve immediately and enjoy this truly unique and satisfying Italian Chopped Salad!
Tips for Success:
Chop Uniformly: For a true "chopped salad," aim to cut all your ingredients into roughly similar, bite-sized pieces so you get a bit of everything in each forkful.
Vegetable Variety: Feel free to customize your Italian chopped salad with other favorites like shredded carrots, blanched green beans, or even some thinly sliced fennel.
Pesto Consistency: Adjust the amount of water in the pesto sauce to achieve your desired thickness.
Freshness: This salad is best enjoyed immediately due to the avocado in the sauce, which can brown over time if exposed to air.
Add Protein: While salami/pepperoni is included, you could also add grilled chicken or cannellini beans for more protein.
Enjoy this delightful blend of Italian flavors with a rich, creamy, and cheesy twist!