Mediterranean Chopped Salad With Herb Vinaigrette

This savory and flavorful Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Herb Vinaigrette is perfect for a crowd or on your own. Load it up with bits of Comté cheese, salami, and fresh herbs for authentic European flavors.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Comté Cheese Association. All opinions are 100% mine.

The flavors in my Mediterranean Chopped Salad will make you feel like you’re dining in the south of France. Creamy Comté cheese, salty cured meats, and endless herbs are so refreshing and satisfying. Dressed in an easy and flexible herb vinaigrette, it’ll be hard not to love this side dish!

The particularly unique Comté cows milk cheese will play with your senses as you enjoy this salad. No two cheese wheels taste the same! Its special flavors play well with a variety of Mediterranean ingredients.

This salad is not only easy to prepare but is also gluten-free and keto-friendly! It would be a flavorful addition to potlucks, barbeques, or family meals. Top it with grilled shrimp or a seasoned beef patty for a summer flare.

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What is Comté?

Comté is an ancient cooked and pressed cheese made from raw milk. The cheese is handmade every day by artisans in about 150 small village cheesemaking facilities in the Jura Massif of France. Made with no additives or artificial colorants, and controlled at each level of production, Comté is a pure, healthy, and natural food.

An older Comté cheese will work best in this recipe. The cheese will taste nuttier and buttery the longer it ages, pairing well with the intricate and savory Mediterranean flavors.

Recommended Salad Ingredients

You can make this salad with this list of ingredients or anything you have leftover in the fridge.

These toppings are what I liked best:

• Comté cheese
• Kalamata olives
• Salami
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sundried tomatoes
• Marinated artichoke hearts
• Romaine lettuce

How to make Mediterranean Chopped Salad 

I love to make chopped salads because they are so low maintenance. All you have to do is chop everything up and throw it in a bowl!

Follow these steps to make your salad:

1. Chop or slice all of the ingredients and add them to a large salad bowl.
2. Drizzle with dressing, toss well, and enjoy!

Salad Dressing Ingredients

You can adjust, add, or take away from this easy salad dressing. Check out my dressing variations below.

Use these ingredients to make your homemade vinaigrette:

• Lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Garlic 
• Parsley
• Cilantro

How to make Herb Vinaigrette

It doesn’t get much easier than this. Keep this recipe for herb vinaigrette around the next time you need an easy, homemade dressing.

This is all you need to do:

1. Combine all of the ingredients into a jar and blend with an immersion blender or use a regular blender.

How to serve

Your salad will be savory and filling whether it’s served cold or warm. I prefer it as a cold side dish on a hot summer day. 

Dress up the romaine with the vinaigrette in this recipe or feel free to swap it for another favorite. A simple combination of olive oil and lemon juice is always delicious or use my homemade ranch dressing as a creamy alternative.

Don’t forget the wine! A glass or bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris will play nicely with the fresh herbs and citrus notes in the salad. The acidity of both will work well with the richness of the cheese and salami.

Recipe variations

Clean out your fridge and top the Mediterranean salad with whatever you have on hand. It will still taste great! To your romaine lettuce, add any of the following recommendations:

• Chickpeas, kidney beans, or your favorite kind of bean
• Other varieties of olives
• Another type of salami or cured meat (thick-cut or pre-sliced)
• More vegetables like cucumbers, red onion, or raw peppers
• Nuts or seeds
• Add cooked grains like quinoa or couscous

Play with the salad dressing flavors with these recommended variations. Most homemade salad dressings are easy to adjust to fit your preferences:

• Add more dried herbs like oregano or thyme
• Swap the lemon juice for red wine or balsamic vinegar
• Fresh garlic is optional but recommended
• Use vegetable broth instead of olive oil for an oil-free alternative

More Salad Recipes

If you love this recipe, don’t forget to check out my other salads:

• Loaded Chicken Salad With Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
• Garlic Grilled Shrimp With Mediterranean Salad
• Delicata Squash Salad With Persimmons
• Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad With Parmesan
• Radicchio Salad With Creamy Ranch

Did you try this recipe for Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Herb Vinaigrette? Let me know what you think! Leave a comment and don’t forget to take a picture, tag it with #lenaskitchenblog on Instagram. I love seeing what you come up with!