Cucina! Cucina! Chopped Salad – CopyKat Recipes

November 3, 2023

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Recreate the magic of Cucina! Cucina! at house with this Italian chopped salad. Bursting with hearty rooster, tangy salami, creamy cheeses, and chickpeas, it’s a symphony of flavors enhanced by a particular French dressing dressing.

Copycat Cucina Cucina chopped salad and dressing.

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Cucina! Cucina! Italian Chopped Salad

Those that dined out within the Pacific Northwest within the Nineties and early 2000s might have fond recollections of the Cucina! Cucina! chain. At its peak, it boasted almost 20 places targeted on well-known Italian classics like pasta, pizza, and different regional dishes, served in a family-friendly ambiance.

Whereas many people liked the traditional “purple sauce”-style entrees, others nonetheless really feel their mouth watering after they consider the Cucina Cucina Italian chopped salad.

The bite-sized elements, which vary from veggies to cheese and meat, make it straightforward to get the right mixture of taste and texture in a single chew. Mixed with a deliciously zesty dressing, it’s no marvel this dish has lived on lengthy after the ultimate Cucina Cucina closed its doorways.

Why That is the Greatest Recipe for Italian Chopped Salad

There’s so much to like about this Italian chopped salad recipe that earns it the highest spot amongst these seeking to get pleasure from a style of their Cucina Cucina recollections. It provides one of many best methods to create the traditional chopped salad texture and has sufficient protein from the meat and cheese to behave as each a aspect and essential dish, complemented by the freshness of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and chickpeas.

Plus, the Cucina Cucina chopped salad dressing is as scrumptious as it’s straightforward. You may even end up whipping up batches to decorate different types of salad, marinate meat, or different makes use of.

Substances

The elements for this tasty Italian chopped salad recipe may be cut up into two teams: one for the dressing and one for the salad itself.

For the dressing:

Further-virgin Olive oil
Egg yolk
Pink wine vinegar
Dijon mustard
Dry mustard
Dried oregano
Garlic, minced
Lemon juice
Sugar
Salt and pepper

For the salad, the elements are extra versatile to your style, however typically embrace:

Iceberg lettuce, chopped
Chickpeas, precooked
Hen breast, poached and diced
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Provolone cheese, grated
Dry wine salami, diced
Plum tomatoes, diced
Skinny inexperienced onions, chopped
Contemporary basil leaves, chopped

As well as, those that’d like so as to add a little bit of aptitude to their serving fashion ought to acquire bigger lettuce leaves, which may be positioned on the plate with the salad served on prime.

Copycat Cucina Cucina chopped salad ingredients on a tray.

Ingredient Substitutions

With a recipe so simple as this, it’s straightforward to see how cooks with explicit tastes or dietary wants can alter it as wanted. Vegetarians can pass over the rooster and salami, whereas these delicate to dairy can dial again or take away the cheese.

Be at liberty to experiment with different proteins, whether or not it’s swapping out pepperoni for salami or sausage or steak for rooster.

Olives or chopped purple or inexperienced peppers are an excellent addition as nicely, both changing an ingredient or working alongside present ones.

Whereas iceberg lettuce gives the optimum crunch, it’s additionally attainable to combine in different extra nutritious greens like arugula or spinach. Romaine lettuce is one other nice possibility.

These in search of a crunch can complement the salad with croutons, pine nuts, or almonds.

The right way to Make Cucina Cucina Chopped Salad

Probably the most concerned a part of making this Cucina Cucina Chopped Salad recipe is the dressing.

Begin by whisking the egg yolk with a little bit of water and microwaving for about 20 seconds, whisking once more within the center.
After permitting it to chill, mix egg combination, dried seasonings, garlic, mustard, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a meals processor.
Mix nicely, then slowly pour within the olive oil because the processor runs, emulsifying the combination into the completed dressing.
Refrigerate it till you’re prepared to decorate your salad.

In the meantime, making the salad is about as straightforward because it will get.

Chop, cube, grate, or shred the elements as famous, and add them to a big bowl.
Toss collectively to mix, then add the dressing and toss a ultimate time.

This must be completed instantly earlier than the salad is served.

Collage of making copycat Cucina Cucina salad dressing and chopped salad.

What Goes Nicely with Cucina Cucina Chopped Salad

Cucina Cucina chopped salad is a good option to pair with many several types of meals, none higher than Italian. It’s a wonderful aspect for pizza and pasta-focused meals, offering a wholesome dose of veggies and protein alongside these carbs.

Nevertheless, it’s additionally substantial sufficient to be served as a essential course with some garlic cheese bread or polenta on the aspect. With the crowd-pleasing elements, it even works nicely with different types of delicacies, together with grilled meats and seafood.

Copycat Cucina Cucina chopped salad in bowls.

The right way to Retailer

Usually, it’s not beneficial to retailer the totally dressed chopped Italian salad, as prolonged publicity to the dressing could make the greens soggy and hurt the general texture.

Nevertheless, the dressing may be saved in an hermetic container in your fridge, a handy characteristic for making it forward of time or dressing a number of salads on totally different days.

Correctly saved dressing must be used inside 5 to seven days.

Copycat Cucina Cucina chopped salad in two bowls and dressing in a small bowl.

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