Grinder Salad recipe

If you’ve ever had a grinder sandwich, you are going to love this Italian grinder salad recipe. The combination of salty meats, tangy olives, peppers, and cheese will leave you craving more.  

This salad is packed with so much flavor and tastes just like a traditional hoagie or sub, whichever you prefer to call the classic Italian grinder sandwich. Growing up Italian in New Jersey, a hoagie was my go-to! In fact, I recall countless Saturdays at the corner store with my dad, where we would get hoagies for dinner.

Grinders are loaded with deli meats, shredded lettuce, onions, cheese, and banana peppers, all drizzled with a generous amount of olive oil, vinegar, salt, oregano, and pepper. So what we’ve done here with this salad recipe is take all those ingredients and deconstruct them into a large salad without the bread. 

Because I love getting creative with salads, such as this tomato shrimp and cucumber salad or arugula salad with pistachios, I’ve put my own spin on this grinder salad recipe by adding olives and omitting onions, as onions just don’t always go over well in my house. I’ve also traded out the traditional provolone cheese for mozzarella balls because they are just so fun to eat! 

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Protein-Packed: This salad is packed with protein, thanks to the cheese and cold cuts.
• Customizable: It's easy to switch out ingredients, such as changing the greens or proteins, to make this salad your own.
• Simple Ingredients: You can find everything you need to make this salad in about 15 minutes at any grocery store.
• A Hoagie in a Bowl: Every bite of this salad tastes just like an Italian hoagie. It just doesn't have the bread.
• Versatile: You can serve this grinder salad with a plethora of dishes, like this sheet pan sugar baked chicken, steak, or air fryer grilled chicken.

Ingredients

• Deli meats: Fresh Italian meats add a savory flavor. For this recipe, we are adding salami, sandwich pepperoni, and prosciutto. 
• Pepperoncini: Pepperoncini peppers offer a delicious tang and the perfect crunch. 
• Tomatoes: because no Italian salad recipe was ever made without tomatoes! 
• Mozzarella balls: I think mozzarella balls are a fun ingredient in the grinder salad recipe, but you can also use provolone cheese. 
• Romaine: For this recipe, I have used romaine lettuce because it adds a bit more nutritional value than regular lettuce. However, regular lettuce will work just fine in this recipe.
• Fresh basil: adds a sweet, aromatic flavor to this salad. 
• Kalamata olives: These are completely optional, but my family has always loved adding olives to their Italian salads and sandwiches. 
• Olive oil: For this recipe, I am using high-quality organic olive oil from Costabile. Use Code: 15GOLDENGK on Amazon for 15% off.
• Red wine vinegar: I don’t necessarily recommend other vinegars for this salad. Red wine vinegar would be my main choice.

Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a complete list of ingredients and their precise quantities.

Variations

• Hoagie in a Bowl: Serve this salad with hoagie rolls for a truly authentic hoagie in a bowl experience.
• Pasta: Turn this into an easy dinner by adding your choice of pasta! I recommend doubling the dressing. 
• Vegetables: Artichokes, mushrooms, red onions, and cucumbers all go great in this salad. 
• Vegan: Remove the meats and double up on vegetables to make this Grinder Salad vegan-friendly. 
• Spicy: Add red pepper flakes to the salad dressing for a kick of heat.
• Cheese: Add shaved or grated Parmesan cheese for even more flavor.
• Dairy Free: Omit the mozzarella cheese for a dairy-free version.
• Prepping ahead of time: You can certainly prep this grinder salad recipe ahead of time. I recommend making the dressing up to two days in advance and storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also certainly cut your meats and vegetables and place them into airtight containers up to 24 hours ahead of time.

Expert Tips

• Shake the dressing like you're mad at it. The more vigorously you shake it, the better.
• Vinegar and olive oil tend to separate over time. Be sure to give the jar a good shake before pouring its contents into the salad.
• If you want to save some of this salad for leftovers, make sure not to add dressing to the entire salad to avoid any wilting that may occur.

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