Antipasto Salad with Crisped Salami

Crisping salami in the oven is a great trick and takes only minutes. Here, they add a savory crunch to a vibrant antipasto salad—think of them as salami croutons!

Serves 4 to 6 | Total Time: Less Than 60 Mins

Ingredients

Dressing:

1–2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Salad:

1 (4-ounce) package Applegate Naturals^® Genoa Salami
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
6 slices Provolone Cheese, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
1 cup green olives, such as Cerignola or Castelvetrano
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Instructions

Dressing:

Combine the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and oregano in a jar and shake well.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Set aside while you assemble the salad.

Crisped Salami:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the salami in a single layer on it.
Bake until salami is sizzling and beginning to crisp, 10–12 minutes (salami will continue to crisp as it cools).
Remove from the oven.
When salami is cool enough to handle, stack a few rounds of salami on top of each other and cut them into thin slices.
Repeat with the remaining salami.

Preparing the antipasto salad:

Put the chopped romaine in a large salad bowl or on a large serving platter.
Top with the sliced provolone, bell pepper, fennel, onions, artichoke hearts, olives, parsley, and crisped salami.
Shake the dressing and then pour over the salad and toss gently to combine.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.