Winter Italian Chopped Salad with Fennel
Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean it’s time to stop eating salads. Salads are a healthy meal option year-round and when you pack it with all of these crunchy veggies, cheese, chickpeas, and the dressing, you’ll be satiated. Chickpeas give this salad a healthy vegetarian protein, but if you wanted to serve this to meat lovers, use some mortadella or even salami.
If you’ve tried my Italian Zucchini Pasta Salad, then you know I can make a big bowl of veggies taste delicious. Here, we’re spiralizing the carrots for a heartier consistency and extra crunch. This is one of those salads you’re happy to find at a pizza joint or an Italian restaurant – just something lighter to enjoy as a starter, a side, or a main course.
Fennel is the star here, with an anise-like flavor reminiscent of wintertime. Fennel is an excellent source of Vitamin C and dietary fiber, so it helps boost your immune system and keep you fuller, longer.
If you want to swap in the romaine lettuce for a more nutritionally dense green try kale or even finely chopped chard! I went with the classic Italian greens mix, here.
The dressing is simple and easy to make, just 3 ingredients whisked together in the bottom of a mixing bowl. Then, you toss together the rest of the ingredients and there you have it, an easy salad to enjoy all winter long and take to all of your potlucks, office parties, and other occasions where you’re tasked to bring something!
How to spiralize a carrot:
Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a carrot using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:
Nutritional Information & Recipe
Winter Italian Chopped Salad with Fennel
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 medium carrot peeled, Blade D, noodles trimmed
- 3 cups sliced romaine hearts
- 1 small fennel bulb halved and very thinly sliced
- ½ cup coarsely chopped drained jarred hot peppers
- ½ cup coarsely chopped drained jarred red bell peppers
- ½ cup canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
- ¼ cup diced sliced provolone
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and Dijon. Add the remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and toss well to combine. Serve.
Recipe Notes
