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    Home » Salad

    Grinder Salad (Italian Sub Salad)

    Published: Jun 7, 2023 by Diana Reis · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Combine deli meats, cheese, banana peppers, tomatoes, and onions with a delicious creamy dressing made from mayo, mustard, red wine vinegar, and Italian spices, and you have the best parts of an Italian sub sandwich in a fresh, filling salad. 

    close up sub salad on white plate

    By now, you have probably come across the viral recipe on tik tok showing how to make a grinder sub salad. If you haven't seen it, it shows how to mix up the shredded lettuce and vegetables that you would typically place individually on your sub and mixes it into a delicious, drippy looking salad.

    It always looks amazing on top of a thick stack of deli meat and cheese. It's fun and who doesn’t love a good Italian grinder sandwich? 

    I was inspired to create a low carb salad version of the grinder. It combines delicious meat, cheese, veggies, and dressing without the hoagie roll. It’s like eating all of the good stuff that falls out of the end of the sub. 

    Contents hide
    Make this recipe, because...
    Ingredients
    How to Make an Italian Grinder Salad
    FAQs
    Diana's Tips For Success
    How to Store
    Related Recipes
    📖 Recipe
    Italian Grinder Salad
    Grinder Salad Ingredients
    Grinder Salad Dressing

    Make this recipe, because...

    The creamy Italian dressing is made up of sandwich condiments, mayo, mustard, and red wine vinegar. It is spiced up with garlic, oregano, and red pepper flake for a little kick. 

    The meat and cheese make this salad a real meal. It is a perfect no-cook summer recipe.

    Ingredients

    grinder salad ingredients

    The salad should include a different meats, cheeses, vegetables, and peppers. You can mix it up with your favorite sandwich ingredients, just like when you order your a sub from the sandwich shop. My favorite type of sandwich is an Italian combo and that is how I decided the toppings for this recipe.

    Salad Toppings

    Italian Meats- Hard Salami, Ham, Turkey, Pepperoni, Roast Beef

    Cheese- Provolone Cheese, Muenster, Swiss, Cheddar, Colby Jack, Mozzarella Balls

    Peppers- Banana Peppers, Wax Peppers, Pepperoncini Peppers, 

    Vegetables- Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Onions, Olives, 

    How to Make an Italian Grinder Salad

    Step 1

    • In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, red wine vinegar, and spices to make the grinder salad dressing. 
    grinder salad dressing in a small bowl

    Step 2

    • Shred iceberg lettuce by cutting the head into quarters. Then make thin cuts along the edge of each quarter to get thin strips of lettuce.
    shredded iceberg lettuce

    Step 3

    • Dice deli meat and cheese into bite size pieces. Stack up the salami and cut into small pieces, then use your fingers to separate the pieces. Do the same with other cold cuts and sliced cheese.
    diced deli meat and cheese

    Step 4

    • Place the shredded lettuce in a large bowl with diced deli meat and cheese. Add thinly sliced red onions, diced tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, and banana peppers. 
    • Add dressing and toss the salad. Serve this salad as a meal or bring it to your next potluck.
    italian sub salad in a large bowl ready to mix with grinder dressing

    FAQs

    What is a grinder?

    A grinder is New England slang for a  submarine sandwich. The subs are served on crusty Italian bread that takes a lot of chewing, hence, grinder. They can be filled with any variety of cold cuts and cheese. They often have shredded lettuce, a variety of thinly sliced vegetables, peppers, and red wine vinegar.

    Diana's Tips For Success

    Take the time to slice peppers and onions into very thin pieces so that they will integrate well with the shredded lettuce and not be overwhelming to eat.

    How to Store

    To keep this salad fresh, store the salad ingredients without dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Dress right before serving to prevent soggy salad.

    Mix the homemade dressing in a container with a lid, so it can go right into the fridge.

    grinder salad on plate with serving utensils

    Related Recipes

    • Hot Italian Sub Sliders
    • Italian Chopped Salad
    • Tri Tip Sandwich with Peppers and Onions
    • Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions
    • Lemon Arugula Salad with Parmesan
    • Pickled Beet Salad

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    📖 Recipe

    overhead grinder salad on a large white plate

    Italian Grinder Salad

    This creamy salad is based off of the Italian American Sandwich, the grinder. Packed with deli meat, cheese, and tangy veg, it may look like an antipasto salad, but it is the main event.
    4.91 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Lunch, Main Course, Salad
    Cuisine: American, American Classic, Italian
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Calories: 377kcal
    Author: Diana Reis

    Ingredients

    Grinder Salad Ingredients

    • 6 Cups Iceberg Lettuce shredded
    • 2 Ounces Salami 10 slices
    • 2 Ounces Ham 4 Slices
    • 2 Ounces Provolone Cheese 4 Slices
    • ½ Cup Tomatoes diced
    • ½ Cup Red Onion thinly sliced
    • ½ Cup Bell Pepper thinly sliced
    • ¼ Cup Pickled Peppers banana peppers wax peppers, pepperoncini

    Grinder Salad Dressing

    • ½ Cup Mayonnaise
    • 1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard
    • ¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
    • 1 Teaspoon Oregano
    • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes optional
    • ½ Teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, red wine vinegar, and spices to make the grinder salad dressing.
    • Shred iceberg lettuce by cutting the head into quarters. Then make thin cuts along the edge of each quarter to get thin strips of lettuce.
    • Dice deli meat and cheese into bite size pieces. Stack up the salami and cut into small pieces, then use your fingers to separate the pieces. Do the same with other cold cuts and sliced cheese.
    • Place the shredded lettuce in a large bowl with diced deli meat and cheese. Add thinly sliced red onions, diced tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, and banana peppers.
    • Add dressing and toss the salad. Serve this salad as a meal or bring it to your next potluck.

    Notes

    What is a grinder?
    A grinder is New England slang for a submarine sandwich. The subs are served on crusty Italian bread that takes a lot of chewing, hence, grinder. They can be filled with any variety of cold cuts and cheese. They often have shredded lettuce, a variety of thinly sliced vegetables, peppers, and red wine vinegar.
    Diana’s Tips for Success
    Take the time to slice peppers and onions into very thin pieces so that they will integrate well with the shredded lettuce and not be overwhelming to eat.
    Storage
    To keep this salad fresh, store the salad ingredients without dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    Dress right before serving to prevent soggy salad.
    Mix the homemade dressing in a container with a lid, so it can go right into the fridge.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 1124mg | Potassium: 450mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1416IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @DianDeliciousB or tag #DeliciousByDesign!

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    Comments

      4.91 from 11 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sara Welch says

      June 07, 2023 at 9:34 pm

      5 stars
      This was everything a gourmet salad should be, and then some! Quick, easy and delicious; definitely, a new favorite recipe!

      Reply
    2. Rosemary says

      June 07, 2023 at 9:50 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds delicious. Do you have a particular bread you recommend?

      Reply
      • Diana Reis says

        June 07, 2023 at 9:55 pm

        I sometime throw this on ciabatta roll or just the bottom half of some crust Italian bread.

        Reply
    3. Carrie Robinson says

      June 07, 2023 at 11:33 pm

      5 stars
      What an absolutely amazing idea for a salad! 🙂 Wish I had this in front of me right now.

      Reply
    4. Elisa says

      June 08, 2023 at 1:07 am

      5 stars
      Love this Italian Grinder Salad recipe, it looks delicious and easy to make. Definitely will make it soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
    5. Janie says

      June 08, 2023 at 1:24 am

      5 stars
      I must say this was a delicious salad. I loved the dressing especially cause it was tangy. Love anything with vinegar in its ingredients!

      Reply
    6. Cat says

      October 16, 2023 at 6:24 pm

      5 stars
      This was super yum & easy ~ I chopped it all in a veggie chopper press.
      I just used the list from your "Ingredients" ~ was a perfect amount & super filling ! The dressing is amazing 🙂

      Reply
      • Diana Reis says

        November 07, 2023 at 5:57 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed. Good Call on the Veggie Press. I think I need to get one.

        Reply
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    I’m passionate about the family dinner table. Connecting with each other at the end of the day over a good meal creates strong family bonds and healthy long-lasting relationships. I want to help families and friends build those relationships.

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