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A simple and fresh Chopped Italian Sandwich made with roasted red peppers, red onion, sliced olives, artichokes, tomato, mozzarella cheese, and romaine. Then, it’s drizzled with mayo, oil, vinegar, and Italian seasoning and piled on a sub roll.
There’s just something about a good sandwich like this Chopped Italian Sandwich that I can’t resist! And, you might be thinking, do I need a recipe to make a sandwich? Let me tell you, this is not just any sandwich! It’s a flavor-packed vegetarian meal that is sure to satisfy!
I kept seeing everyone making chopped sandwich on social media and it is trending right now. Usually made with ham, salami or some sort of processed meat. I am not a fan of processed meat and i do not eat any bacon or pork so I decided to make a vegetarian and lighter version or the viral chopped sandwich. You will love it. It is crisp, fresh vegetables are chopped with cheese, and then mixed with an Italian-style vinaigrette for the most flavorful combination of flavors and textures. Great to make for potlucks, parties and picnics.
Recipe summary
- Quick & easy: This comes together in minutes. It’s just a matter of chopping and mixing everything. You can have this ready to enjoy in just about 15 minutes!
- Simple & satisfying: I used whole food ingredients that are fresh and flavorful for a filling meal that tastes incredible. This recipe is vegetarian and can easily be made gluten-free, depending on the bread you choose.
- Crowd-pleasing: Everyone loves a unique sandwich recipe! This one is sure to be a hit no matter when or where you serve it.
Ingredients needed
Chopped Sandwich will taste best if made with fresh ingredients! You should be able to find everything easily at your grocery store or you may even have them sitting in your fridge or pantry. Here’s everything you need:
- Bread: Hot dog buns or sub rolls work best to hold all of the delicious Italian salad filling.
- Lettuce: While any lettuce will work, we really love the crisp, fresh crunch of romaine lettuce.
- Tomatoes: Fresh and juicy with a subtle sweetness, chopped tomatoes add so much to this sandwich.
- Mozzarella cheese: Classic in Italian recipes, the flavor complements the veggies perfectly.
- Red peppers: For convenience, use roasted red peppers from a jar that have been drained well.
- Red onion: Adds a lovely spicy taste.
- Olives: Use your favorite sliced olive. Black olives, green olives or Kalamata olives all work great.
- Artichokes: You can buy whole marinated artichokes or halved. Be sure to drain well before using.
- For the sauce: A combination of mayonnaise, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper dress the salad with flavor and add just enough moisture.
How to make it
It is super easy to assemble! Start by chopping everything up together, then add the dressing. It will come together in a matter of minutes. Here’s how:
- Prep: On a clean chopping board spread the shredded lettuce. Top with a layer of each: tomato slices, mozzarella, peppers, red onion slices, olives and artichokes.
- Chop: Use a chef’s knife and chop everything together.
- Dressing: Drizzle with mayo, olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, and season with salt and pepper to your taste. Toss until combined.
- Serve: Pile on hot dog buns or sub rolls and enjoy.
My Pro Tip
Tips and Variations
- Onion tip: If red onion is a bit too strong for your taste, try soaking it in cold water for at least 15 minutes, drain and enjoy! This will take away any intense, sharp bite.
- Gluten free: To make gluten-free sandwiches, simply use gluten-free hoagie rolls or other gluten-free rolls.
- Cheeses: Swiss, havarti and provolone are other great options.
- Other ingredients: If there are other vegetables that you would like to add, feel free to experiment. Pepperoncini peppers or banana peppers would be delicious. You can also omit any of the ingredients.
- Add protein: If you’d like, chop up salami, ham and/or pepperoni along with the vegetables.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can prepare the chopped salad and dressing about 1 to 2 days 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.
This combination between an antipasto salad and Italian sub was shared on TikTok and became an instant favorite! Chopping it all up together is great because you get deliciousness in every bite.
Common ingredients for an Italian sub are onions, tomatoes, banana peppers, and roasted red peppers. They are often seasoned with salt, pepper and oregano, and topped off with a drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinaigrette or vinegar.
Serving suggestions
Chopped Italian sandwiches are great served with a variety of sides. Try these pairing options:
- Potato chips or air fryer sweet potato chips
- Creamy cucumber salad or other fresh vegetable salad
- Mixed berry salad or easy fruit salad
Storage recommendations
The assembled sandwich does not keep for more than a day. If you’re packing it in a lunchbox for later, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container.
More sandwich recipes
- Chicken Avocado Ranch Burrito Sandwich
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Grilled Chicken Gyro Sandwich
- Chicken Caesar Wrap
- Chicken Cutlet Sandwich
- Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich
- Cucumber Sandwich
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Chopped Italian Sandwich
Equipment
- cutting board
- Sharp Chef's knife
Ingredients
- 4 hot dog buns or sub rolls
- 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 6 slices mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained well
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup sliced olives
- 1/2 cup marinated artichoke halves, drained well
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise, may sub with sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- On a clean chopping board spread the shredded lettuce. Top with a layer of each: tomato slices, mozzarella, peppers, red onion slices, olives and artichokes.
- Use a chef’s knife and chop everything together.
- Drizzle with mayo, olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, and season with salt and pepper to your taste. Toss until combined.
- Then scoop the filling into the buns and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Amazing Italian Vegetable Sub. So many great ingredients. I was wondering about adding meat, but read your write up Rena. As an option, adding meat will enhance the taste only if one chooses too. It’s a great Italian Vegetable Sub.
Thanks Don. Appreciate the feedback