Grinder Salad

This Grinder Salad is everything you love about the classic Italian-American Grinder sandwich minus the bread! Made with salami, ham, pepperoni, provolone, pepperoncini, and fresh veggies all coated in a creamy mayo dressing, serve this high-protein salad antipasto style or as a simple side salad for lunch or dinner.

Italian Grinder Salad Recipe

Sub sandwiches are my favorite, especially when they’re made with layers of crispy lettuce, creamy dressing, chewy bread, fresh veggies, and salty meats. But sometimes, deconstructing a classic, like the popular Italian Grinder sandwich, offers a fun and (somewhat) healthier alternative. Instead of a hearty sandwich, you now have a salad that can be enjoyed in multiple ways!

This low-carb and gluten-free grinder salad (double-check your deli meats to make sure they’re gluten-free) allows you to enjoy all the flavors of its sandwich counterpart without compromising your dietary preferences or goals. 

Serve it antipasto style with crackers at your next social gathering or enjoy it as a side salad. Since this salad is high in protein, it will easily keep you full whether you enjoy it as part of a main meal or a snack.

The combination of the sweet and tangy mayo dressing with crispy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, shredded cheese, pepperoncini peppers, onion, and sliced meat will make you want to eat it by the spoonful!

Key Ingredients

Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

• Dressing ingredients: The dressing consists of mayonnaise, fresh garlic, red wine vinegar, pepperoncini juice (for some must-have tanginess), Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. For a healthier alternative, you can try using plain Greek yogurt in place of all or part of the mayo.
• Salad ingredients: The salad calls for shredded Iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, shredded provolone cheese, sliced pepperoncini peppers (aka banana peppers), sliced ham, pepperoni, and salami. However, feel free to make this salad your own. Use other types of deli meat and cheeses such as turkey, prosciutto, capicola, Provolone cheese, Pepperjack, or Swiss. Swap Iceberg lettuce for Romaine lettuce or spring mix, and try adding sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, cucumbers, bell peppers, or avocado.
• Optional garnish: You can garnish this assembled salad with freshly minced parsley or basil and crushed red pepper.

How to Make Grinder Salad

1. Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, red wine vinegar, pepperoncini juice, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

2. Toss the salad ingredients: Toss the shredded lettuce in the dressing until fully coated. Add the rest of the salad ingredients and toss to combine. 

3. Garnish: Top the assembled Grinder salad with freshly minced parsley and red pepper flakes. This is optional and can be left off. Serve immediately!

Recipe Tips

• Prepare the dressing ahead: You can make the dressing for this salad up to 5 days in advance and keep it stored in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator. 
• Dress the salad just before serving: Iceberg lettuce is one of the “soggier” types of lettuce used to make sandwiches and salads. For that reason, hold off on tossing everything together until just before serving.
• Chop your own lettuce: This salad tastes best when it’s made using freshly chopped whole heads of Iceberg lettuce instead of buying pre-chopped bags of pre-washed lettuce. To do so, discard the outer leaves and chop off the ends before shredding the lettuce. For ultra-crispy greens, wash the lettuce in several changes of cold water and dry using a salad spinner.
• Toss in some croutons: Make your salad with crunchy croutons if you still enjoy an element of bread but want the dish to remain as a salad. 
• Consider serving the dressing on the side: When serving this salad at a party, consider serving the dressing separately on the side so your guests can determine how much they’d like.

What to Serve with Grinder Salad

Serve this delicious grinder salad for lunch or dinner with a variety of dishes.

• Soup: I like to pair this salad with a lighter soup, such as chicken soup, minestrone, tomato soup, or Italian pastina soup.
• Pizza: I wouldn’t suggest serving this with a “meat lovers” pizza, but piled on top of a hot cheese pizza? One of my favorite Friday night dinners.
• With carbs: Breadsticks and garlic bread are highly recommended.
• Add some pasta: Rather than serve it with a side of pasta, try adding cooked and cooled bowtie or penne pasta. The result is a fabulous and filling grinder pasta salad.

Storage

Grinder salad should be enjoyed shortly after the dressing and salad ingredients have been tossed together. 

Prepare ahead: The individual elements of the salad can be prepared a day in advance and stored in separate airtight containers in the fridge. The dressing can be stored separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing is a no-go with this recipe.

More Salad Recipes

• Caesar Salad Recipe
• Israeli Salad
• Cobb Salad Recipe
• 7 Layer Salad Recipe
• Crab Louie Salad
• Green Goddess Salad

If you try making this Grinder Salad Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.