Authentic Italian chopped salad recipe with Primosale cheese

When Italians think of salad, they rarely imagine a complete meal.

A salad is usually a contorno — a side dish served alongside meat, fish, or eggs. Lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, maybe fennel or radishes, dressed at the very last moment with olive oil, vinegar, and salt.

But every now and then, especially during hot spring and summer days, we turn that simple side dish into lunch.

Add a fresh cheese like Primosale, a slice or two of rustic bread, and suddenly the salad becomes enough.

Fresh, colorful, and satisfying without being heavy.

authentic Italian chopped salad with primo sale cheese

CLASSIC ITALIAN SALAD: HOW WE MAKE IT

Italian salads are simple and seasonal. The ingredients change according to the time of year, but the philosophy remains the same: fresh vegetables, minimal seasoning, and ingredients that taste like themselves.

In a traditional Italian meal, an antipasto salad rarely includes proteins, as it would be considered too filling before the main course. A classic Italian salad usually consists of lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots, sometimes complemented by cucumber, fennel, or radishes.

I started with this traditional base and transformed it into a light one-dish meal by adding Primosale cheese.

HOW TO MAKE AN AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CHOPPED SALAD

The vegetables in this recipe are all common ingredients in Italian salads: lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and radishes.

The seasoning is equally traditional: extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and vinegar. Many Italians prefer balsamic vinegar, whose sweet and aromatic notes pair beautifully with fresh vegetables.

Simple ingredients. Very little preparation. Lots of flavor.

WHY ADD PRIMOSALE CHEESE?

Primosale is a fresh Italian cow’s milk cheese with a firm texture that makes it perfect for cubing and adding to salads.

It turns a simple side dish into a light lunch while preserving the freshness that makes Italian salads so enjoyable during warm weather.

Of course, you can substitute Primosale with any other fresh cheese you enjoy.

Print

An authentic Italian chopped salad with Primosale cheese

Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 serving
Author Claudia Rinaldi

Ingredients

  • A bunch of lattughino or any other green baby salad
  • 1 cup of cherry tomatoes
  • 50 gr 1.7 oz of Primosale cheese
  • ½ carrot
  • 2 radishes
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Clean and cut the lattughino leaves.
  2. Clean and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
  3. Dice the Primosale.
  4. Peel and thinly slice the carrot (I used the peeler for ribbon-like slices).
  5. Thinly slice the radishes.
  6. Place everything in a bowl, and add the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Mix - with your hands for perfect seasoning - and enjoy!

Enjoy your salad!

Claudia