Name: La Scala Chopped Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon kosher salt ((or to taste)); ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper ((or to taste)); ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 small head romaine lettuce, cut into thin short strips ((4 cups)); ½ head iceberg lettuce, cut into thin short strips ((4 cups)); 4 ounces Genoa salami, cut into thin short strips; 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ((coarsely shredded cheese works better than finely shredded)); 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained ((chickpeas))

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Even salad skeptics will fall hard for this copycat La Scala chopped salad recipe! With crisp lettuce, salami, mozzarella, and chickpeas in a Parmesan red wine vinaigrette, La Scala salad is satisfying, easy to make, and packed with flavor.

How long it takes: 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: small bowl and large bowl
Servings: 8

A bowl of chopped salad with lettuce, chickpeas, sliced salami, grated cheese, and two wooden salad servers. Small dishes with cheese and pepper are in the background.

Viral, But Make It Timeless

If you’ve ever enjoyed a classic chopped salad, you get the idea behind the viral La Scala chopped salad. The lettuce is chopped so it’s the same size as the mix-ins and the flavor profile is decidedly Italian-American; in fact, some people describe it as an Italian sub in the form of a salad.

Even though the La Scala salad is all over social media (and beloved by the Kardashians), it originated at the iconic Beverly Hills restaurant La Scala in the 1950s, proving that classics never go out of style!

What makes it special:

Versatile: I love having this La Scala salad as a weekday lunch and it’s so delicious, I really look forward to eating it. We also enjoy it as a hearty side dish along with grilled steak or chicken.
BIG flavor. Although the ingredient list is short, each element is chosen carefully for maximum impact and textural contrast.
Satisfying & Protein-Packed. With the protein in the chickpeas, salami, and mozzarella, this is a salad that eats like a meal. It’s satisfying and filling.

A bowl of chopped la scala salad with shredded lettuce, chickpeas, salami strips, and shredded cheese on a light surface, surrounded by small bowls of ingredients.

How to Make La Scala Salad

Make the dressing. Whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. (You could also shake it in a covered jar if that works better for you.) Whisk until the oil and vinegar have emulsified. That means you won’t be able to discern layers of oil or vinegar; the dressing will appear somewhat creamy and opaque.

Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Season the dressing to taste (keeping in mind that the Parmesan and salami will both add saltiness to the salad) and stir in the Parmesan.

Assemble the salad. Combine the chopped lettuce, salami strips, shredded mozzarella, and garbanzo beans in a large bowl. Lightly toss them together.

Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat, then serve.

Bowls of shredded lettuce, chickpeas, sliced salami, shredded cheese, grated cheese, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and seasonings arranged on a white surface.

A clear glass bowl containing oil, mustard, dried herbs, and seasonings on a white surface.

Prep Ahead

To get a head start on this salad, you can wash, dry, and cut the lettuce a day or two ahead of time. Refrigerate it in a resealable bag or covered container. You can make the dressing up to a week ahead; refrigerate until about 30 minutes before you plan on tossing the salad. The salami can be cut and the chickpeas prepped as well. The salad will come together very quickly when you’re ready to serve it!

Possible Salad Variations

Add more protein. You can slice rotisserie chicken and toss that with your La Scala chopped salad, or add grilled chicken. The salad makes a great side to serve with chicken, too.
Incorporate grains. Hearty cooked farro adds a chewy texture, earthy flavor, and a little more satisfaction to the salad. A small pasta, like orzo, would also work well.
Veg it up. Creamy avocado, zesty pepperoncini, cherry or grape tomatoes, cucumber, sliced red onion, roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes—it’s all good!
Add crunch. Toasted pine nuts or homemade croutons are great additions if you like more crunch in your salad.

Serving Ideas

Chicken. Grilled chicken thighs or breasts would be fantastic, or try this bruschetta chicken recipe. Greek-style marinated chicken goes well, too.
Steak. Garlic butter steak bites would be especially delicious, or serve the salad with grilled marinated flank steak. I like to serve La Scala salad with steak kabobs if I’m entertaining guests.
Pasta. A meatless pasta like fettuccine with cauliflower Alfredo sauce would be perfect, since there’s already protein from the salami and chickpeas in the salad.
Other Italian dishes. This is an awesome pizza salad (you know, the salads you make to eat along with takeout or frozen pizza?). Another option is to serve it with a pizza-inspired recipe like pizza stuffed spaghetti squash or a pizza quesadilla.

Storage

If you know you’re not going to serve the entire salad, it’s best to store this La Scala salad without the dressing in separate airtight containers. If stored properly, the salad will last up to 3 days (depending on the freshness of the lettuce) and the dressing will last up to a week.

If you’ve added the dressing, the salad is really best eaten immediately. If you have some left over, it can be safely refrigerated for up to 2 days. The lettuce will soften but it’s still fine to eat; you can restore some of the original crispness by tossing the salad with additional lettuce just before serving.