Chopped Antipasto Salad Recipe (Buca Di Beppo Copycat)
Inside: This easy chopped antipasto salad recipe is a copycat of Buca di Beppo’s famous Chopped Antipasto Salad. Loaded with Italian meats, three cheeses, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, and pepperoncini, it’s hearty enough for dinner and perfect for hot summer days.
It’s hotter than blue blazes outside, so the last thing we want to do is eat a hot meal, much less fire up the oven. Which can only mean—it’s salad season!
And if I’m going to get everyone in the family on board for salad as a meal, no plain Jane, bland, boring salad will do.
If there’s one restaurant salad that makes my family’s taste buds do a happy dance, it’s the “Chopped Antipasti Salad” at Buca di Beppo! Formerly known as the 1893 Salad, it’s packed with an explosion of flavor with its medley of cured Italian meats, three flavor-filled cheeses, fresh salad vegetables, olives, peppers, and more.
This easy chopped antipasto salad recreates Buca di Beppo’s famous restaurant favorite with layers of Italian meats, cheeses, crisp vegetables, and olives. It comes together in about 20 minutes and tastes remarkably close to the original.
Ingredients for this Chopped Antipasto Salad.
This chopped antipasto salad uses classic Italian deli meats, three cheeses, crisp lettuce, fresh vegetables, olives, and a simple Italian dressing to recreate the flavors of Buca di Beppo’s famous salad.
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this Buca copycat salad:
- Lettuce: Two 8-10 oz. Bags mixed lettuce; or 1 bag iceberg lettuce and 1 bag romaine lettuce; or 1 small head iceberg and one small bunch romaine, chopped
- Red onion*: 4 tablespoons, roughly chopped
- Cucumbers: 1 cup, cut into 1/2 inch slices then quartered
- Roma tomatoes: 2 cups (about 2 tomatoes) diced into 1/2 inch pieces and divided between salad and topping
- Provolone cheese: 1/2 cup, cubed
- Feta cheese: 1/2 cup, crumbled
- Gorgonzola cheese: 1/2 cup, crumbled
- Pepperoni slices: 4 oz., cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- Mortadella or salami: 2 oz., cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- Pepperoncini pepper: 2 tablespoons, sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
After tossing and before serving:
- Other half of chopped Roma tomatoes
- 6 whole Pepperoncini peppers
- 12 black olives or Kalamata olives
- 12 green olives
- 12 tablespoons Italian vinaigrette salad dressing, or to amount to taste (I use storebought and love the Bolthouse dressings in the refrigerated section)
*If you want to mellow out the strong aftertaste of raw onion, soak the cut red onion in a bowl of cold or ice water for 10-15 minutes, then drain it before adding to the salad. The sulfur compounds that make that powerful punch will leach out into the water from the cut onion surfaces.
How to Make Chopped Antipasto Salad.
1. Place clean lettuce in a large bowl. Top with all of the ingredients except for the Italian dressing, olives, whole pepperoncini peppers, and half of the tomatoes.
2. Toss everything together with salad tongs.
If dressing the whole salad, do it now. Pour the dressing around the outer edge and toss again, just until all the ingredients are covered. (Wait until serving or dress the individual salads to prevent wilted, mushy salad.)
Top the salad(s): Place the tossed salad either in a pretty serving bowl, on a serving platter, or in individual bowls. Then top with the remaining half of the tomatoes, the olives, and the whole pepperoncini peppers. (If serving in individual bowls, divide evenly among them.)
The complete printable recipe is below, so you can keep it handy in the kitchen.
Chopped Antipasto Salad Recipe:
Chopped Antipasto Salad (Buca di Beppo Copycat)
Need an easy-to-make salad bursting with flavors? Make this famous Italian restaurant favorite filled with cured meat, three cheeses, olives, cucumbers, peppers, and more!
Ingredients
- Lettuce: Two 8-10 oz. Bags mixed lettuce; or 1 bag iceberg lettuce and 1 bag romaine lettuce; or 1 small head iceberg and one small bunch romaine, chopped
- Red onion*: 4 tablespoons, roughly chopped
- Cucumbers: 1 cup, cut into 1/2 inch slices then quartered
- Roma tomatoes: 2 cups (about 2 tomatoes) diced into 1/2 inch pieces and divided between salad and topping
- Provolone cheese: 1/2 cup, cubed
- Feta cheese: 1/2 cup, crumbled
- Gorgonzola cheese: 1/2 cup, crumbled
- Pepperoni slices: 4 oz., cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- Mortadella or salami: 2 oz., cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- Pepperoncini pepper: 2 tablespoons, sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
After tossing and before serving:
- Other half of Roma tomatoes
- 6 whole pepperoncini peppers
- 12 black olives or kalamata olives
- 12 green olives
- 12 tablespoons Italian vinaigrette salad dressing, or to amount to taste
Instructions
Place clean lettuce in a large mixing bowl. Top with all of the ingredients except for the Italian dressing, olives, whole pepperoncini peppers, and half of the tomatoes.
- Toss everything together with salad tongs.
- If dressing the whole salad, do it now. Pour the dressing around the outer edge and toss again, just until all the ingredients are covered. (Wait until serving, or dress the individual salads to prevent wilted, mushy salad.)
- Top the salad(s): Place the tossed salad either in a serving bowl, or in Individual bowls. Then top with the remaining half of the tomatoes, the olives, and the whole pepperoncini peppers. (If serving in individual bowls, divide evenly among them.)
Notes
* For milder tasting raw red onions, see the tip above in the post.
Some Tips for Making this Recipe.
- Dress the salad just before serving.
- Soak the onions if you want a milder flavor.
- Use crisp, cold lettuce. Chop everything into similar-size pieces.
Easy Variations.
One of the things I love about this chopped antipasto salad is how easy it is to customize with whatever you already have in the refrigerator. Try one of these delicious variations:
- Add grilled chicken to turn it into a hearty main dish.
- Swap the meats. Try salami, capicola, prosciutto, or soppressata instead of mortadella.
- Add marinated vegetables like artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers for even more Italian flavor.
- Mix up the cheese. Fresh mozzarella pearls or shredded Parmesan are delicious additions or substitutes.
- Stir in fresh herbs like chopped basil or parsley just before serving.
- Make it spicy with sliced hot cherry peppers or extra pepperoncini.
What is Antipasto?
The word “antipasto” means “before the meal” in Italian. And this appetizer is meant to awaken all the senses to get us ready for the main course. It’s typically made up of cured meats, olives, cheeses, peppers, mushrooms, and vegetables served at room temperature. They may be raw, pickled, marinated, grilled, or roasted, and all are sure to be loaded with intense flavor. And another factoid—”antipasto” is a single kind of appetizer, “antipasti” is plural for a tray of different offerings, and “antipasta” is a mangling of the other two words that doesn’t exist in the Italian language.
Chopped Antipasto Salad FAQs:
Can I make chopped antipasto salad ahead of time?
Yes. Prepare all the ingredients and refrigerate separately. Toss with the dressing just before serving.
What dressing does Buca di Beppo use?
Buca doesn’t publish the exact recipe, but a zesty Italian vinaigrette is the closest match and works perfectly in this copycat version.
What’s the difference between antipasto and antipasto salad?
Traditional antipasto is served as an appetizer on a platter, while antipasto salad combines those same meats, cheeses, olives, and vegetables with lettuce to create a complete salad.
Can I add chicken?
Absolutely. Grilled chicken makes this hearty enough for dinner.
What meat goes into antipasto salad?
Pepperoni, salami, mortadella, capicola, prosciutto, and soppressata all work well.
MORE EASY SUMMER SALAD RECIPES
Why You’ll Love This Chopped Italian Salad.
We always leave Buca miserably full, and this salad is one of the reasons to blame. It’s so deliciously full of flavor, we gorge ourselves on it before the hot and heavy Italian dishes even hit the table!
But with the addition of a little chicken, making this favorite salad the meal itself is the perfect answer at our house for what to eat when:
- It’s too hot to eat hot food,
- We want something filling but not too heavy,
- Or we don’t want to turn on the oven.
And this restaurant-style antipasto salad that brings together cured meats, cheeses, and veggies in every cold, crunchy bite—just like your favorite Italian spot.
Buon appetito!
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Kate,
Thank you for this recipe. I love this salad! I appreciate you laying it out for me to make. I’m in Arizona and anything that’s easy and cool for a meal is wonderful! Can’t wait to make it!
I’ve always loved that salad too…I hope you enjoy it!
Yum! This sounds so good!