Description
This Viral Italian Sub in a Tub is a quick, easy, and healthy salad-packed meal inspired by the classic Italian sub sandwich. Made using a veggie chopper to mince fresh vegetables, meats, and cheese into bite-sized pieces, this fiber-rich salad combines lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, onions, pickles, mortadella, pepperoni, and pepper jack cheese. Tossed with creamy avocado mayo, optionally olive oil, tangy apple cider or balsamic vinegar, and Italian seasoning, it’s perfect for a no-cook, grab-and-go lunch or meal prep. The recipe is naturally gluten-free and customizable for vegetarians and dairy-free diets.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 head romaine lettuce (or spinach as substitution)
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 6 red mini peppers, tops removed
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup beer pickles, sliced
- 1/4 cup banana peppers
Meats and Cheese
- 1/2 cup mortadella, chopped to fit chopper (can substitute turkey or ham)
- 1/2 cup pepperoni, chopped
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, chopped (skip for dairy-free)
Dressings and Seasonings
- 1/4 cup avocado mayonnaise
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
- 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pickle seasoning or Italian seasoning
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables and meats: Begin by washing and prepping your vegetables and meats. Cut the lettuce head in half, slice the cucumber, remove the tops of the mini peppers, slice the red onion, and cut the mortadella so it fits into your veggie chopper.
- Chop with veggie chopper: Insert the large chopping blade into your veggie chopper. Add the lettuce and chop it thoroughly. Follow by adding the cucumbers, red onions, mini peppers, grape tomatoes, pickles, banana peppers, mortadella, pepperoni, and pepper jack cheese one after another, chopping each into fine, bite-sized pieces.
- Add dressings and seasonings: Once all the ingredients are finely chopped in the chopper, remove the top. Add the avocado mayonnaise, optional olive oil, apple cider or balsamic vinegar, pickle or Italian seasoning, and a pinch of black pepper.
- Toss and serve: Toss all the ingredients together in the chopper bowl or transfer to a serving bowl for presentation. Enjoy immediately as a fresh salad or serve chilled.
- Meal prep tip: To meal prep, remove the chopped ingredients from the veggie chopper and store them in an airtight container. Add the mayo, oil, vinegar, and seasonings only when ready to serve to keep everything fresh and crisp.
Notes
- You can substitute romaine lettuce with spinach.
- Use turkey or ham instead of mortadella if preferred.
- For a vegetarian option, omit all meats.
- Dairy-free option: skip the cheese.
- The recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- Add chili flakes if a spicy flavor is desired.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers with dressings separate to maintain freshness up to 5 days.
- Use a high-quality veggie chopper for best results in chopping fine uniform pieces.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Italian sub salad, no-cook lunch, healthy Italian sub, veggie chopper recipe, gluten free salad, meat and cheese salad, easy meal prep salad
