Keto Mozzarella Salami Salad - Easy Antipasto Salad Recipe

This Keto Mozzarella Salami Salad is a smart and delicious play on a classic antipasto plate. Chopped spring mix lettuce is combined with shredded cabbage which serves as the crunchy base for a salad made with creamy mozzarella balls (bocconcini), Genoa salami, peperoncini, and green olives. 

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Easy Antipasto Salad Recipe

Americans often believe antipasto means a dish served before a pasta course. ... Literally, the word “antipasto” is derived from the Latin root “anti” meaning “before” and “pastus,” which means “meal.” Thus, the antipasto course simply refers to the dish that precedes all the others to come.  I decided, however, to make this Keto Prosciutto Antipasto Salad jam-packed with nutrients and flavour so that this salad could also be eaten as a main meal.

I was looking at some of my old blog posts and happened to fall upon my Easy Keto Prosciutto Antipasto Salad recipe. Craving this salad but not having all the ingredients, I set out to create a new version of one of my favourite healthy keto salad recipes.

Since we have been hitting well above the 90s this week in Florida, a fresh, crisp and healthy salad recipe seems to be the perfect dinner recipe.

Eat this keto mozzarella salami salad as a main meal or combine it with some grilled Pickle Juice Chicken or a bowl of Creamy Keto Zucchini Soup with Boursin Cheese for the perfect keto dinner.

Healthy Keto Salad Ingredients

Olive spread - I used my homemade olive spread but you can always use your favourite store-bought olive tapenade. Trader Joe's, Dellalo and Whole Foods all make delicious store-bought olive tapenades if you don't want to make your own.

Pepperoncini - These come in a jar in the pickle section of your local grocery store.

Olive Oil - When using olive oil in salad dressing recipes (like my Keto Ginger Salad Dressing recipe) I tend to use Extra Light Virgin Olive oil which has a more neutral flavour.

Mozzarella balls - Also known as bocconcini or mozzarella pearls.

Lemon juice, Red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper - Freshly squeezed lemon juice helps to brighten the salad dressing whereas the red wine vinegar adds a little tang and a hit of smokiness. Garlic, oregano, salt and pepper help to round out the flavour of the salad dressing.

Lettuce - I use Organic Girl Spring Mix but you can use romaine, bibb or even iceberg lettuce.

Cabbage - You will only need about ¼ of a head of cabbage. You can use red, green or even Savoy. The cabbage gives this salad a little extra crunch.

Salami - The flavour of salami gives a combination of flavours including spicy, sweet, hot and savoury. What can be defined without any shadow of a doubt is the satisfying sensation perceived by our taste buds when we pop a slice of it into our mouths!

Basil leaves - This ingredient is optional but it adds a little zing to each and every bite!

Olives - I used Picholine olives which are small green French olives. These nutty flavoured olives are harvested green and retain a crisp texture. Black olives or any other type of olive can be used instead.

Cherry tomatoes - To add a pop of colour to the salad, I added some cherry tomatoes but you can use any type of tomato or omit them if you do not have any.

Keto Mozzarella Salami Salad Instructions

Step 1 - Marinate the Mozzarella

• In a medium bowl, mix the green-olive tapenade with the peperoncini and ¼ cup of the oil. Add the bocconcini and toss.

Step 2 - Make the Keto Salad dressing:

• In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk in the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and season the dressing with salt and pepper,

Step 3 - Assemble the Keto Mozzarella Salami Salad

• In a bowl, combine the shredded lettuce and salami. Add the marinated bocconcini and half of the dressing and toss well. Transfer the antipasto salad to a large platter. Top with the basil and olives. Drizzle the remaining dressing around the salad and serve.

FAQ

Is this salad served as a main meal or as a side dish?

This healthy keto salad can be served either as a side salad along with some Nordic Nut and Seed Bread, Keto Bread Sticks or with some Keto crackers or as a main meal.

How many servings does this recipe make?

If you are using this as a side dish, it will make 8 servings. As the main meal, you will get about 4-6 servings.

Can I make this into a Keto Plant-Based recipe?

Of course! Simply eliminate the salami and this recipe is a plant-based keto salad recipe! You can always add some crumbled blue cheese or some plant-based meat crumbles for added protein.

Can I use other types of cheese?

You can use any type of cheese including blue cheese, feta cheese and even goat cheese.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

If you plan on making this salad ahead of time, you can marinate the mozzarella for up to 3 days as well as prepare the salad dressing ahead of time. When you are ready to eat the salad, simply combine the salad ingredients and toss to coat. Let the salad sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes before tossing again and serving.

Substitutions

• For the pepperoncini peppers - You can always use banana pepper rings instead. Both are widely considered sweet peppers, but the banana pepper is minutely sweeter than the pepperoncini. Pepperoncini are sharper, even noted to hold a hint of bitterness at times, especially the Italian variation, but they also tend to be more succulent than banana peppers
• For the Olive oil - You can replace the Extra Light Olive oil with any neutral tasting oil or for a little asian flare, replace half of the olive oil with sesame oil.
• For the Salami - You can replace some or all of the salami with prosciutto, Soppressata or even pepperoni.
• For the Mozzarella - Blue cheese, feta or goat cheese all work beautifully in this healthy keto salad recipe.

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