Let’s make the legendary La Scala Salad inspired by the Beverly Hills restaurant! My version of this famous salad recipe is packed with savory salami, marinated artichokes, chickpeas, and cheese, all tossed with a tangy homemade Dijon vinaigrette.
This incredible recipe is a copycat of the famous La Scala Chopped Salad at the La Scala restaurant in Beverly Hills, CA. It’s an Italian-inspired recipe invented by Jean Leon for his La Scala Boutique restaurant in the 1950s. According to the rumor mill, it’s the Kardashians’ favorite salad and for good reason – this salad has it all: crunchy lettuce, peppery salami, marinated chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and cheese. Drizzle all of that with a tangy homemade Dijon vinaigrette, and you have a fabulous light meal full of flavor and texture. You don’t need to get into the swankiest restaurant in LA to have a taste of this legendary chopped salad. I’m bringing it to you, and I hope you’ll like it. If you love recreating celebrity salad recipes like Jennifer Aniston’s bulgur salad, this homemade chopped salad is right up your alley!
Why I Love This La Scala Chopped Salad Recipe
- Flavor-packed. This salad always reminds me of an Italian sub sandwich made fancy. It’s a refreshing, crunchy salad loaded with flavor thanks to Italian salami, artichokes, and one awesome vinaigrette.
- Ready in minutes. This recipe is really tasty and takes minutes to make! It’s perfect for a quick, protein-filled lunch or light meal.
- Easy to recreate. There’s a reason we love salads, especially famous ones. They’re super tasty and so easy to recreate with simple ingredients.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is an overview of what you’ll need to make the famous La Scala dressing, a.k.a. the “Leon dressing,” along with the salad ingredients. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for a full ingredient list and detailed instructions.
For the Dressing
- Oil and Red Wine Vinegar: You’ll need a nice quality olive oil and red wine vinegar for the base of the vinaigrette. If you need to substitute red wine vinegar, try apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard: The original salad dressing calls for dry mustard, but Dijon is my easy-to-find alternative. Dijon brings irresistible creaminess, taking your basic vinaigrette from “wow” to POW! If you have dry mustard, you can substitute one teaspoon of that instead.
- Salt and Pepper
- Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese is best.
For the Salad
- Chickpeas: Also called garbanzo beans. Rinse and drain canned chickpeas before you start.
- Lettuce: This recipe uses two different types of lettuce, chopped iceberg for crunch, and chopped romaine for a fresh pop of green. You can substitute one kind of lettuce for the other, or use your preferred mixed greens.
- Artichokes: I toss in chopped marinated artichoke hearts. These may not be in the original recipe, but I’ll never pass up the chance to add artichokes to my salads! They add antipasto vibes with their delicious briny flavor.
- Italian Salami: I love the spicy kick of Italian salami, but you can use any salami you’d like, chopped into bite-sized pieces. Pepperoni is another option, or you can leave out the cured meat entirely to make this salad vegetarian.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Freshly shredded mozzarella tastes best.
How to Make La Scala Chopped Salad
This recipe calls for a bit of chopping, but you probably could have guessed that! It takes some prep, but then the salad and dressing come together in a snap.
- Prepare the dressing. Begin by whisking together the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
- Marinate the chickpeas. Next, add drained chickpeas to a bowl and drizzle them with half of the prepared dressing.
- Assemble it. Combine the chopped lettuce, artichoke hearts, salami, and mozzarella cheese in a large salad bowl. Pour over the remaining dressing and toss.
- Finish and serve. Finally, add the marinated chickpeas and the dressing. Toss again, then sprinkle with grated parmesan, and serve!
Tips And Variations
There aren’t many tips that can make this salad even better. And it is the perfect base for even more tasty variations and add-ins.
- Don’t skip marinating the chickpeas. Letting the chickpeas soak in the dressing adds lots of extra flavor and softens them.
- Make a big batch of dressing. I love this dressing, and I’ll often double the recipe. The flavors are perfect with more salad recipes like my chef salad or homemade Cobb salad.
- Different meats. Instead of Italian salami, you can use pepperoni, beef or turkey salami, prosciutto, or chorizo. If you’re not a salami fan, try crumbled smoky bacon instead.
- Extra protein. Make this recipe in a main meal salad by adding grilled chicken, air fryer salmon, or hard-boiled eggs.
- More veggies. I love dressing up a salad with my favorite seasonal vegetables. Try roasted red peppers, tomatoes, radicchio, roasted radishes, or grilled asparagus.
- Cheese. You can easily substitute mozzarella cheese with grated cheddar or even provolone or use fresh mozzarella cheese balls.
- More add-ins. Take inspiration from an antipasto salad and sprinkle in chopped olives, pepperoncini, and sun-dried or cherry tomatoes.
- Vegetarian. Skip the salami and add in roasted mushrooms.
Serving Suggestions
Packed with veggies and loads of protein, La Scala salad is ready to go as a meal in itself! Of course, you can turn this salad into a more filling meal by adding juicy baked chicken breasts. Or, for something saucy and delicious, this recipe for creamy lemon parmesan chicken breasts is easy to make on the stovetop. Serve the salad as a side to reverse sear steak or garlic butter steak bites. Make a vegetarian meal and serve it with Tomato Parmesan Stuffed Eggplant! Stay with the Italian theme and pair your chopped salad with an easy one-pot tomato pasta. For a summer twist, try this Creamy Shrimp Fettuccine.
Can I Meal Prep This Salad?
You can easily meal prep this La Scala chopped salad 2 to 3 days in advance. Shred the cheese and slice the salami, chop up the ingredients ahead of time, and keep them airtight in the fridge. You can also prepare the dressing ahead, but remember to store the ingredients and the dressing separately so that they don’t get soggy. When you’re ready to assemble your salad, gather your ingredients, and follow the recipe as directed.
How to Store Leftovers
Salads that are dressed will only stay fresh for another day. Store the leftovers airtight in the fridge, and enjoy them as soon as possible.
More Easy Salad Recipes
- Green Goddess Salad
- Macedonian Chopped Salad
- Chopped Egg, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad
- Lemon Kale Caesar Salad
- Chickpea Salad
La Scala Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, finely chopped
- 1 head romaine lettuce, finely chopped
- 8 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
- 4 ounces Italian salami, julienned
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and grated parmesan cheese.
- Put the drained chickpeas in a bowl and pour half of the dressing over them; set aside.
- In a salad bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, artichoke hearts, salami, and shredded mozzarella cheese. Toss with the remaining dressing.
- Add the garbanzo beans, include the dressing, and toss again until completely combined.
- Top with a sprinkle of grated parmesan and serve.
Notes
- Meat Choices: Swap Italian salami with pepperoni, any other salami type, prosciutto, or try chopped bacon.
- Artichoke Hearts: I am not sure if artichoke hearts are included in the original recipe, but I do use them in mine.
- Boost Protein: Turn it into a main dish by adding grilled chicken or salmon.
- Veggie Variations: Enhance with seasonal veggies like roasted peppers, tomatoes, radicchio, radishes, or asparagus.
- Cheese Swaps: Replace mozzarella with cheddar, provolone, or fresh mozzarella balls.
- Antipasto Touch: Add olives, pepperoncini, and sun-dried or cherry tomatoes for an antipasto vibe.
- Vegetarian Option: Ditch the salami for roasted mushrooms.
- Marinate Chickpeas: Let the chickpeas sit in the dressing to soften.
- Meal Prep Tips: Prep the La Scala salad 2 to 3 days ahead, but keep the ingredients and dressing separately in the fridge to avoid sogginess. Assemble when ready.
- Storage: This salad is best when served immediately. If you want to serve it later, do not combine the dressing with the remaining ingredients until you are ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
