The La Scala Chopped Salad combines chopped lettuce, cold cuts, cheese, and chickpeas with an intensely good dressing.
What is the La Scala Chopped Salad?
It’s a simple and incredibly flavorful salad created at La Scala Boutique in Beverly Hills, California back in the 1950’s.
Celebrities were regular patrons of La Scala – often wearing formal attire – so the restaurant owner, Jean Leon, and his daughter, Gigi, came up with the idea serving it as a pre-dressed, chopped salad that would be easier and less messy to eat.
Jean Leon generously shared the salad and (self-named) “Leon dressing” recipe with the Los Angeles Times in 1989, and home cooks have been enjoying it – just like the stars – ever since!
We recently served our version of the La Scala Famous Chopped Salad at a graduation party, and so many of our family and friends have asked for the recipe – we decided to share it here on A Family Feast.
This simple salad is reminiscent of an antipasto salad – but with fewer meats and topping.
The salad really comes together thanks to a fantastic red wine, Dijon, cheese, and garlic dressing that is creamy and loaded with flavor!
Chopped vs Shredded?
La Scala Salad Ingredients
- Lettuce – Both Iceberg lettuce and Romaine hearts are used in this salad recipe. The iceberg gives the salad lots of crunch, while the Romaine lettuce adds green color and flavor.
- Cold Cuts – The original recipe called for Italian salami. Our version is made with both Genoa salami and Capicola. However, you can change this up to suit your tastes. Today, you can order the chopped salad at La Scala with turkey, chicken, or tuna, in addition to the classic salami version.
- Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas are fine to use. Just be sure to drain and rinse them before adding to the salad.
- Cheeses –We used a combination of sharp provolone (cut into strips), marinated mozzarella balls (cut into small pieces) and Parmesan cheese. Shredded mozzarella can be used – but see our Tips & Tricks below for additional information.
- Pepperoncini –Not part of the original chopped salad recipe, we liked the extra kick of flavor that the pepperoncini added to our version.
- Dressing – Red wine vinegar, fresh garlic minced, Dijon mustard, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, black pepper and extra virgin olive oil. (Our dressing differs slightly from the original “Leon Dressing” served at the restaurant.)
Tips & Tricks
- If using pre-shredded, bagged mozzarella in this salad, please note that the shreds are usually coated with an additional ingredient that stops the shreds from sticking to each other. This dries the cheese out a bit.
- For the best flavor and texture, we recommend buying fresh mozzarella and shredding it yourself, or chopping into small pieces like we did.
- If you plan on making this ahead of time for a dinner party, keep each component in separate airtight containers or zipper seal bags, including the dressing. When ready to serve, toss everything together in a large bowl and serve.
La Scala Famous Chopped Salad
The La Scala Chopped Salad combines chopped lettuce, cold cuts, cheese, and chickpeas with an intensely good dressing.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: salad
- Method: chop, toss
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded (about one pound)
3 heads of Romaine hearts, shredded (about one pound)
2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained
6 ounces sliced Genoa salami, cut into strips
6 ounces slices Capicola, cut into strips
1/2 pound sliced sharp Provolone cheese, cut into strips
1 12-ounce tub marinated mini mozzarella balls, drained and coarsely cut up (8 ounces after draining)
1/2 cup pepperoncini, drained and sliced
Grated Parmesan, to top the dressed salad
Dressing
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 medium to large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Toss all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and puree with an immersion blender. (Or use a regular blender.)
- Toss the salad with the dressing and serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make the La Scala Famous Chopped Salad ahead of time? You can, but it’s best keep everything separate until ready to serve.
- How do I store leftovers? Leftover salad that is already dressed will get soggy within a day. Instead, only dress what you plan to serve or eat at your meal.
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