This grinder salad is a spin on a traditional Italian grinder or sub sandwich but without the bread. It combines all the flavors of a deli-style grinder like chopped lettuce, deli meats, creamy swiss cheese, cherry tomatoes, and banana peppers all tossed in a zesty, flavorful Italian dressing. Trust me this is the salad of all salads, it’s so good!
If you grew up eating classic grinders from your neighborhood deli (pre Jersey Mikes and Subway era) then you are going to love this grinder salad! It combines everything you enjoy on a traditional girder like deli meats, cheese, lettuce, tomato onion, oil and vinegar but in a big beautiful, delicious salad!
My husband said it reminded him of this 10 minute Italian salad but totally tasted like a grinder since we added a trio of deli meats and swiss cheese.
What is in an Italian Grinder?
A grinder sandwich or sub is a menu item you typically get at an Italian-style deli. The base of the grinder is usually a long roll or hoagie that is filled with items like deli meats, cheese, lettuce, tomato, peppers, onion and mayo, mustard, oil and vinegar to top it off.
This Italian grinder salad combines all the delicious elements of a grinder minus the bread for a lower carb, but still insanely good option that is so satisfying you won’t miss the hoagie roll. Trust me! Plus the dressing is out of this world and really makes this grinder salad recipe 10/10!
Check out more of my delicious salad dressings on PMG!
Why you’ll love this grinder salad recipe
- Great meal prep recipe – prep all the ingredients beforehand then assemble when ready to eat!
- Easy to whip up in about 15 minutes
- Healthy – all the things you love in an Italian grinder but in salad form!
- Perfect for any diet – low carb, gluten free, and easily made dairy free!
- Flavorful and so satisfying – nobody will miss the bread, it’s that good!
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Grinder Salad Ingredients and Substitutions
Here are the simple ingredients needed to make this amazing Italian grinder salad.
- Romaine lettuce – romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce can be used as the base of this salad since both types of greens are sturdy and hold up well with the rest of the ingredients and dressing.
- Veggies – I used cherry tomatoes, sliced purple onion and banana pepper for color, flavor and crunch. You can use any type of tomatoes you have or even add chopped bell pepper or cucumber.
- Meat – I used a trio of deli turkey, ham and salami (which I do not eat often but were a must in this salad) – you can use any deli meat combo you like.
- Cheese – I used swiss cheese because I prefer it over provolone but feel free to use either since both are classics in a delit-style grinder salad.
- Grinder Salad Dressing – red wine vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, maple syrup, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Optional Extras – grated parmesan cheese and croutons (I like texas toast croutons).
Get the complete list of recipe ingredients, instructions and nutrition in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Recommended Kitchen Tools
- Small bowl + whisk
- Cutting board + kitchen knife
- Large salad bowl
How to make a grinder salad
Here is a summary for how to make this incredible sub salad with step by step photos to guide you.
Step 1: Arrange all of the salad ingredients (lettuce, tomatoes, banana peppers, onion, meats and cheese) in a large bowl.
Step 2: Combine the dressing ingredients (red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper), except the olive oil in a small bowl or jar and whisk well to combine while streaming in the olive oil.
Step 3: Pour the dressing over the salad.
Step 4: Toss well to coat everything in the dressing.
Expert Tips
- Make it dairy free – use dairy free cheese or leave it out and it will still be super delicious!
- Make it vegetarian – even if you leave the meat out of this grinder salad recipe you could add in crispy chickpeas or hard boil eggs for a meat free version that would be just as good!
- Top it off with thick texas toast croutons and grated parmesan cheese for even more crunch and flavor!
How to store
This grinder salad is best if eaten right away since it can get soggy as it sits. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days if needed.
To meal prep this salad: prep and store the salad ingredients and dressing separately then assemble and dress it when you are ready to eat it.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you try this Italian Grinder Salad Recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!
Best Italian Grinder Salad
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Description
This Italian grinder salad is a spin on a traditional grinder or sub but without the bread. It combines crisp lettuce, chopped cherry tomatoes, a trio of deli meats, creamy Swiss cheese, banana peppers, and onion all tossed in a zesty Italian dressing. Making this the salad of all salads!
Ingredients
For the Grinder Salad
- 4–6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- ½ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup chopped deli ham
- ½ cup chopped deli turkey
- ½ cup chopped deli salami
- ½ cup chopped swiss or provolone
- ⅔ cup sliced purple onion
- ⅔ cup banans peppers
Italian Grinder Dressing
- ¼ cup res wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Optional additions
- Texas toast croutons
- Grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Arrange all of the salad ingredients (lettuce, tomatoes, onion, peppers, meats and cheese) in a large salad bowl. I recommend using a shallow salad bowl so you can see all the beautiful colors.
- Combine the salad ingredients (red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper) in a small bowl and whisk well to emulsify while streaming in the olive oil until fully mixed.
- Pour the dressing evenly over the salad and toss to coat everything.
- Top with grated parmesan cheese and croutons if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Lettuce – use romaine or iceberg lettuce.
- Dairy free – omit the cheeses or use dairy free cheese.
- Vegetarian – omit the meats and sub in crispy chickpeas and hard boiled eggs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Healthy Salads
- Method: Mixed
- Cuisine: Italian
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