An Italian-inspired Antipasto Salad, packed full of healthy veggies and brimming with summertime flavor. Fast and easy, this versatile salad can be made ahead-perfect for mid-week meals or summer gatherings. Vegan-adaptable and Low-carb adaptable.
Over the last few weeks, many variations of this Antipasto Salad have been happening around here! Vegan versions, vegetarian versions, and a low-carb version made with tuna. I love the salad because I can throw things together ahead, and have it on hand for quick and easy meals.
Pantry ingredients -like artichoke hearts, olives, capers, roasted peppers, white beans or tuna, are combined with fresh veggies like yellow wax beans, red onion, green beans, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, along with an abundance of fresh herbs, all tossed in a simple Italian Dressing.
As the salad marinates it gets better and better! Such a satisfying & adaptable salad, that I think you will love!
Antipasto Salad Variations:
Whether you are vegan, vegetarian or low carb/high protein you can adapt this salad to meet your dietary needs.
- Make it vegetarian– add white beans and mozzarella, leaving out traditional cured meats.
- Make it low-carb & high protein– add canned tuna and leave out the beans.
- Make it vegan – leave out the cheese.
- Load it up: Feel free to add Italian-style cured meats, like in traditional antipasto.
Ingredients in Antipasto Salad
- artichoke hearts- in water preferably.
- white beans or canned tuna (or sub other beans!)
- capers
- roasted peppers (or use fresh)
- olives- regular black olives, or kalamata would be good too
- cherry tomatoes (or fresh bell pepper)
- green beans or yellow wax beans ( or sub other veggies)
- baby mozzarella balls (optional)
- red onion
- pepperoncini -optional (for heat)
- fresh herbs- basil, or flat-leaf parsley, or both!
How to make Antipasto Salad
Step 1:
Comb through your pantry and gather up olives, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, capers, white beans (or garbanzos) or canned tuna. Add some fresh ingredients- yellow wax beans, green beans, bell pepper, celery, tomatoes and fresh herbs.
Keep it vegan with white beans or add tuna for protein.
Step 2:
Blanch any veggies you like. Here I’m blanching green beans. Leave bell peppers raw, but perhaps blanch asparagus, yellow wax beans and snap peas (or leave them raw). Thinly sliced zucchini is nice here, left raw- it will marinate as sits in the marinade.
Step 3:
Place your ingredients in a bowl. Think about color!
Step 4:
Make the simple Italian Dressing.
Simply whisk dressing together in a bowl.
Step 5:
Toss the salad with the Italian dressing, then taste, adjust salt and vinegar, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
How to Store it
Store the Antipasto Salad in a glass container for up to 4 days in the fridge. As it marinates in the dressing, it will get even more flavorful!
Such a delicious way to use garden veggies and pantry ingredients.
Play around with different versions of the salad to create your own unique blend!
Use what you have on hand!
More recipes you may enjoy:
- Grilled Tuscan Bread Salad
- Tuscan White Bean & Tuna Salad with Arugula
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Farro Salad w/ Marinated Zucchini and Chickpeas
- Purple Cauliflower Salad (Sicilian Style!)
- Picante Tuna Salad
Hope you are having a beautiful week so far! Enjoy the salad and let us know what you think in the comments below!
xoxo
Print
Antipasto Salad
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 8
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups
- Category: salad, vegan, vegetarian
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Veggie-loaded Antipasto Salad with white beans (or Tuna), artichoke hearts, olives, capers, fresh veggies, red onion, lots of herbs, tossed in a simple Italian dressing. Vegan and Low Carb adaptable!
Ingredients
- 2 cups green beans or yellow wax beans, blanched (see notes)
- 14 ounce can white beans (rinsed and drained), or 1 can albacore tuna, drained, or sub chickpeas or other beans.
- 14-ounce can artichoke hearts in water, drained
- 6-ounce can black olives, 1-1 1/2 cups ( or 1 cup kalamata olives)
- 1 cup celery, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup roasted peppers
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon capers
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4–1/2 cup basil, chopped
- optional: baby mozzarella balls
Italian Dressing:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon shallot, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon maple or honey (optional- see notes)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or dried oregano)
- 1/4 tsp salt, more to taste
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- pinch chili flakes
Instructions
Gather your ingredients for the salad.
Blanch the green beans: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, add green beans and simmer until vibrant and just tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water.
In a large bowl, add the drained beans (or drained tuna), drained artichoke hearts, drained olives, chopped celery, roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onions, capers and fresh herbs. Add baby mozzarella balls if using.
Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
Gently fold in the dressing into the salad, until combined. Taste, and add more salt or vinegar as needed-flavor will vary here based on what specific canned goods you are using.
Chill until serving time.
Salad will keep 4 days in the fridge.
Notes
Feel free to substitute other veggies: snap peas, asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. Blanch any veggies you wouldn’t want to eat raw.
If making this with Tuna, add 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard.
Herb variations: dill or cilantro work well here too.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 263
- Sugar: 5.8 g
- Sodium: 621.3 mg
- Fat: 15.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.1 g
- Fiber: 7.3 g
- Protein: 13.8 g
- Cholesterol: 18.1 mg
Made this today as well as roast carrots on tahini -it was a hot day so I roasted a little free range chicken and took it with salad , carrots and roast potatoes to have with the family-stand out success! Salad elected an absolute keeper and not a carrot left on the plate. Thanks!
Love it Barbara! Happy all enjoyed.
thanks for the recipe.
I loved this recipe so much. I used asparagus in place of green beans. I was able to freeze left overs, and it was still delicious 😋. This recipe is a keeper for us👍
Wow, interesting Judene, I would have never thought to freeze this!
Tomatoes and green beans are abundant and beautiful right … used them in this recipe and oh wow!!! Dressing was fabulous will make again!!
Thanks so much- glad you liked it!
Made this along with the Coconut Lime Bundt cake for a potluck and there was not a bit left. I added a little bit of mozzarella chunks, as I forgot to buy the balls, and also added just a bit of parmesan. Dressing is delish, too. I love the green beans in this, and they had just put out some of the most beautiful fresh green beans at the store.
Awesome Lisa! Great to hear!
Delicious!
I made it once and OMG this is soooo good. I don’t really like salads….but this one it’s just incredible, all the different taste that burst in your mouth. Finally I found my favourite salad.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Claudette!
It is a delicious recipe! And so easy to give It another twist ; luxuary with tasteful ham or to clean the fridge with some leftover veggies. When I am late and don’t have time to cook it’s a brilliant recipe! Thanks for all your recipes. Your website is a great inspiration for me👍
Thanks Maayke! Glad you liked this one!
Delicious! I served this salad with a hunk of crusty french bread and burrata on top (rather than the baby mozzarella balls) and it was a hit. I actually made a little too much and may have eaten the leftovers for breakfast the next day… 😉
A wonderful way to combine fresh vegetables & herbs from the garden and jarred veggies from the pantry. A wonderful late summer dish! I can’t wait to make it for our next family gathering.
Glad you enjoyed this one Megan!
I can’t stop making this yummy salad. It’s perfect for the summer here in Asheville. Last night, I didn’t have mozzarella, so I added feta, and it was wonderful too.
I have sent the recipe to several friends; spreading the good word!
Thanks so much Hilary- very appreciated!
Just made this to have for dinner in a few hours and I can’t stop eating it. Hoping there will be some left for my husband…
Haha! Glad you enjoyed it! Did you use tuna, or vegetarian?