Easy Italian Grinder Salad with Creamy Greek Yogurt Italian Dressing
No need for a hoagie roll for this recipe, we have all the good parts mixed into a bowl for an amazing veggie-packed grinder salad recipe. This Grinder Salad with Creamy Greek Yogurt Italian Dressing offers a well-rounded combination of nutrients, flavors, and textures! It makes a delicious lunch, and dinner, an addition to a potluck or picnic, and stores well for leftovers! It’s a no-brainer why this was a viral recipe on TikTok!
Why You Should Make This Italian Grinder Salad Recipe
This colorful salad recipe is also high in fiber, protein, and probiotics. Moreover, this recipe is customizable. You can keep this vegetarian by omitting the deli meat or perhaps swapping it for a plant-based alternative. You can also add your favorite grinder ingredients. Some other toppings I enjoy are spinach, alfalfa sprouts, sliced cucumber, jalapenos, Pickles, or red pepper flakes.
Grinder Salad Ingredients
Greens (the base of the salad)
- Romaine lettuce, brussels sprouts, kale, napa cabbage, or iceberg lettuce – really any other crunchy lettuce of choice
Vegetables
- Bell peppers, small dice (approx 1 pepper)
- Red onion, small dice
- Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (you could use any tomatoes you enjoy like grape tomatoes)
- Banana peppers
- Hot peppers, chopped (such as Trader Joe’s Bomba Peppers or Mama Lil’s Sweet Hot Pickled Peppers)
Proteins
- Turkey, thinly sliced
- Italian cured meat, such as salami or pepperoni, thinly sliced
Other types of meat you can use include roast beef, ham, or other cold cuts. I like to include at least two different meats.
Cheese
- Provolone cheese, sliced or shredded
Other cheese you can use include cheddar cheese, swiss cheese, or parmesan.
Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing
- Mayo
- Greek yogurt
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- Italian seasoning
- Red wine vinegar
For a tangy dressing, you can add more tangy red wine vinegar, lemon juice, or even a touch of banana pepper juice!
Garnish
You can garnish this salad however you like. Some of my suggestions include:
- drizzle some olive oil
- sprinkle some red pepper flakes
- add more Italian seasoning
- a dash of salt
- a sprinkle of black pepper
Step By Step Instructions
Prepare The Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, Greek yogurt, Italian seasoning, grated Parmesan cheese, and red wine vinegar to make the dressing.
Add Greens: In a large bowl, add your greens base of Romaine lettuce.
Layer Ingredients: Arrange the bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini peppers, and chopped hot peppers, into the bowl.
Add the thinly sliced turkey Italian cured meat and provolone cheese over the salad.
Serve: Wait to toss the ingredients together until just before serving for maximum impact. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
To store this salad: Place it in an airtight container for a day in the fridge. This recipe is best if using a heartier green like Brussels sprouts, kale, or cabbage.
How to Serve This Grinder Salad Recipe
I like to serve this Grinder Salad recipe in many different ways.
- Alone as a Hearty Salad
- As a side with some soup, perhaps Italian Wedding, Tomato Basil, or New England Clam Chowder
- Alongside some crusty bread
- As meal prep mason jar salads! Just add all the ingredients to a 32oz mason jar and keep the creamy Italian dressing on the side until you are ready to serve!
FAQ (Ask a Dietitian!)
What is a grinder sandwich made of?
A grinder sandwich is typically made up of sliced deli meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments. For example, a grinder sandwich might consist of thinly sliced turkey, salami, ham, with provolone cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, onions, banana peppers, and mayo served in crusty Italian bread.
How to jazz up a salad?
You can jazz up a salad many ways.
Try jazzing up a salad by adding:
- crunchy toppings
- creamy toppings
- savory proteins
- sweet dried fruits
- different flavors like herbs, or peppery lettuces
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Grinder Salad with Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
- 4 cups romaine lettuce
- 1 cup red bell peppers, small dice
- ½ cup red onion, small dice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ½ cup pepperoncini peppers, sliced
- ¼ cup hot peppers, chopped
- 4 oz deli turkey
- 4 oz salami
- 2 oz provolone cheese
- ¼ cup mayo
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- ¼ cup parmasean cheese
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Italian seasonings
Instructions
Prepare The Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, Greek yogurt, Italian seasoning, grated Parmesan cheese, and red wine vinegar to make the dressing.
Add Greens:
- In a large bowl, add your greens base of Romaine lettuce.
Layer Ingredients
- Arrange the bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini peppers, and chopped hot peppers, into the bowl.
- Add the thinly sliced turkey Italian cured meat and provolone cheese over the salad.
Serve
- Wait to toss the ingredients together until just before serving for maximum impact. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
To store this salad
- Place it in an airtight container for a day in the fridge. This recipe is best if using a heartier green like Brussels sprouts, kale, or cabbage.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sarah Harper. I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves to cook, eat, and talk about food! Here at The Addy Bean, you'll discover an array of flexitarian recipes. My mission is to inspire and encourage others to eat and explore the world of plant-based foods!
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