The Chopped Italian Sandwich marries the robust flavors of a classic Italian sub with the freshness of a chopped salad. Hearty deli meats and cheeses are chopped along with crispy lettuce, tomatoes, and banana peppers, then stuffed into a hoagie roll making this an easy lunch recipe for one or for a crowd!
Friends, have you heard of the Chopped Italian Sandwich? Unless you've been living under a rock, or are immune to the pull of social media, you've likely seen images of this beauty popping up all over. The internet has gone crazy for these grinder salad subs, and I'm totally here for it. If you love a hearty sandwich, you'll love this easy recipe that takes minutes to prepare and tastes like a million bucks. Despite the classic ingredients, it's super versatile. It's become a family favorite at our house and is a great recipe for a simple family lunch, busy weeknight dinners, or a game day party.
In This Post
Why This Recipe Works
This classic sub sandwich stands out for several reasons:
- Easy. This Italian sandwich recipe is EASY to make. If you can buy cold cuts, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, and chop them into pieces, you can make this. It's like the classic Italian grinder sandwich, but in sort of a chopped salad form, then stuffed into some bread.
- Fast. Not only is it easy, but you can whip up this Italian sandwich sensation in minutes, making it the perfect thing to serve at a last-minute party or when you're just short on time.
- Delicious. This recipe uses a variety of meats and cheeses, which are all mixed with a tangy, creamy homemade Italian dressing.
Key Ingredients
The beauty of this sandwich is that you can pick up pretty much everything you need at your local deli. Here are the simple ingredients you'll need for this delicious sandwich:
- Deli meats. This classic recipe, like the traditional grinder sandwich, uses a combination of pepperoni, hard salami, and ham to form the protein base of the sandwich, delivering the classic Italian meats' savory depth.
- Cheeses. Pepperjack and provolone cheese add a creamy, spicy kick, complementing the meats perfectly.
- Italian dressing. A mix of mayo, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and seasonings like Italian seasoning and paprika, this dressing binds the chopped salad ingredients with a flavorful zest.
- Vegetables. Iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and banana peppers contribute freshness, crunch, and a slight tang, balancing the rich flavors of the meats and cheeses.
- Bread. Italian sub rolls are the classic here, since they're sturdy, yet soft, making them the perfect vessel for holding the hearty filling without falling apart. However, feel free to use any type of bread that fits these characteristics, like French bread, ciabatta, or even sturdy rolls to make small chopped Italian sliders!
How To Make A Chopped Italian Sandwich
Here's how you prepare these easy Italian subs.
- Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and seasonings until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Chop the ingredients. Finely chop the lettuce, meats, cheese, and tomato slices, and red onion. The key to the perfect chopped Italian sandwich is in the size of the ingredients; they should be uniformly chopped and should be small enough to blend together well but not so tiny that they lose their texture.
- Combine and dress. In a large bowl, toss the chopped lettuce mixture, meats, cheese, red onion, and tomatoes with the dressing until everything is evenly coated.
- Assemble the sandwich. Generously stuff the Italian sub rolls with the salad mixture. The rolls should be overflowing with the delicious, creamy grinder salad.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately or wrap tightly if taking on the go.
Variations And Substitutions
I love these chopped grinder sandwiches as they are, but you can experiment with different ingredients for some different flavors:
- Make it vegetarian. If you're vegetarian, or simply want to cut down on the deli meat, replace the meats with grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers for a vegetarian twist. You could also add beans (chickpeas would be great!) for a bit more of a hearty filling.
- Change up the cheese. Experiment with different cheeses such as mozzarella, Swiss, or cheddar for a slight twist on flavors.
- Try a different bread. While Italian sub rolls are traditional, feel free to use hoagie rolls, crusty bread, or even brioche buns for a softer texture. The most important thing to remember here is that the bread needs to be sturdy enough to hold the grinder salad without everything falling apart.
- Make it spicy. The banana peppers add a touch of spice, but if I'm really craving some heat I'll add Giardiniera peppers, or throw in a dash of hot sauce with the dressing. You can also use a hot meat, like a spicy salami or calabrese to make this sub spicy.
- Add-Ins: Consider adding other ingredients like black olives, pepperoncini peppers, sweet cherry peppers, or green olives for extra zing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! In fact, this is a great recipe for meal prep. You can prepare the chopped salad and dressing ahead of time and store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Then just assemble the sandwiches right before serving to keep the bread from getting soggy.
While it's the most common, any crunchy variety of lettuce will work. Romaine lettuce would be a good substitute.
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It's best consumed within a day or two for optimal freshness (the shredded lettuce can start to get a bit wilted if left for too long). Leftover assembled sandwiches will get soggy, so store your bread, and the Italian grinder salad separately.
Absolutely! The great thing about this recipe is its flexibility. Feel free to use your favorite sandwich ingredients, like roast beef, turkey, or different varieties of cheese, to make it your own.
The pepper jack cheese and red pepper flakes in the dressing add a mild spice level to these sandwiches. For a less spicy version, substitute pepper jack with more provolone or another mild cheese, and adjust the red pepper to your taste.
I love this modern twist on the classic Italian sub. If you try these Chopped Italian, don't forget to tag me with a pic @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!
More Easy Sandwiches
- Easy Salmon BLT Sandwiches
- Tunacado Sandwiches
- Easy Rotisserie Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches
- Sweet And Spicy Bacon Smash Burger
- Spanish Sliders
- Hot Honey Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe
- Italian Grinder Sandwich
- Easy Chicken Parm Sandwiches
Recipe
Chopped Italian Sandwiches (Grinder Salad Subs)
Ingredients
For The Dressing
- ½ cup mayo
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon poppy seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon celery salt
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and black pepper to taste
For The Grinder Salad
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 6 slices ham
- 6 slices pepperoni
- 6 slices hard salami
- 3 slices provolone cheese
- 3 slices pepper jack cheese
- 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
- ½ small red onion finely diced
- ¼ cup banana peppers chopped
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 4 Italian sub rolls
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Set aside.½ cup mayo, 3 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar, ⅛ teaspoon paprika, ⅛ teaspoon poppy seeds, ⅛ teaspoon celery salt, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper to taste
- Finely chop the lettuce, slices of ham, salami, pepperoni, slices of provolone cheese and pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, red onion, banana peppers and Parmesan. Add all ingredients for the grinder salad to a large mixing bowl.2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, 6 slices ham, 6 slices pepperoni, 6 slices hard salami, 3 slices provolone cheese, 3 slices pepper jack cheese, 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes, ½ small red onion, ¼ cup banana peppers, ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Pour the dressing over the top of the grinder salad ingredients, a little at a time, and, using tongs, mix everything to combine. Store any excess dressing in the refrigerator for later use.
- Stuff the grinder salad into the sub rolls and serve.4 Italian sub rolls
Notes
- Be sure to chop all the ingredients into small pieces. This will ensure for the perfect bite every time.
- Be careful in adding the dressing. It's easier to add more than to take away so slowly add the dressing until you reach the consistency you like for your grinder salad.
- Be sure to use a sturdy bread to help hold the grinder salad together.
Nancy says
Yuuuuummmm... These were delish. I saw variations of this recipe floating around the internet and decided to give yours a try. Loved the combos of flavor here and the dressing was perfect. A super easy, but indulgent lunch.