No-Cook Italian Chopped Salad Hoagies with Pepperoncini Vinaigrette
Shake a red wine vinaigrette in a jar, then chop romaine, tomatoes, salami, provolone, chickpeas and pepperoncini and toss it all together. No stove or fire needed. Spoon the salad into split, hollowed-out hoagie rolls and press for a minute. Total time is about 20 minutes.
This is the deli sub and the chopped salad in one roll. Everything gets cut small and tossed in a sharp, garlicky vinaigrette, so every bite has a bit of everything. The pepperoncini brine in the dressing gives it a tang that holds up after a long day outside.
It works for the nights you roll in late, the fire ban is on, or nobody wants to light a stove. The only cooking is chopping. Keep the meat and cheese cold until you're ready to build, and dinner is on the table in 20 minutes.
No-Cook Italian Chopped Salad Hoagies with Pepperoncini Vinaigrette
- Prep
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- No heat
- Pack weight
- 4 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- No stove
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
Tap an item to copy it for your shopping list or a store search.
Gear you'll need
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Quart jar with a tight lid
- Large mixing bowl
- Large spoon or tongs
- Can opener
Steps
-
Shake the vinaigrette
Add the olive oil, vinegar, pepperoncini brine, garlic, oregano, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper to a jar. Seal it and shake hard for 20 seconds.
-
Chop the vegetables
Chop the romaine into bite-size pieces and quarter the tomatoes. Slice the onion thin and slice the pepperoncini. Put it all in a large bowl with the chickpeas.
-
Cut meat and cheese
Take the salami and provolone from the cooler only now. Stack the slices and cut them into thin strips, then add them to the bowl. Return the cooler lid right away.
-
Toss the salad
Add the Parmesan and about three-quarters of the dressing. Toss well, then taste and add salt and pepper. Let it sit 5 minutes so the flavors mingle.
-
Hollow the rolls
Split each roll along one side, leaving the back hinge intact. Pull out a little of the soft bread from the middle to make a trough. Drizzle the remaining dressing inside the rolls.
-
Stuff and press
Pile the salad into the rolls, packing it down as you go. Close each one and press firmly with your palm for 30 seconds. Eat right away.
Trail Notes
Shake the vinaigrette at home and carry it in the jar for up to 5 days in the cooler. Slice the onion and the pepperoncini at home too, and keep them in a sealed container.
Keep the salami and provolone at 40°F or colder until you build the sandwiches. Don't leave them out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F. Wash your hands and the cutting board if raw meat or produce shared them.
Swap the sliced salami for a whole dry-cured salami stick and the provolone for a firm aged cheese like Parmesan or Manchego. Both hold for a day or two without ice if you keep them shaded. Use the sliced versions on night one, when the cooler is still cold.
Pack out the pepperoncini jar, the can and any scraps. Strain the leftover dressing and rinse water through a bandana or mesh, pack out the solids, and scatter the liquid at least 200 feet from water.
Campers ask
How do you keep camp sub rolls from getting soggy?
Hollow out the rolls a little and build the sandwiches right before eating. Hold back some dressing and drizzle it in the roll rather than soaking the salad.
Can I make an Italian chopped salad ahead for camping?
Yes, for the salad base. Chop the vegetables and chickpeas at home and pack the dressing separately. Cut the meat and cheese at camp and toss everything together just before you eat.
What deli meats are safe to bring camping?
Any sliced deli meat is fine if it stays at 40°F or colder in a well-iced cooler. Dry-cured salami and pepperoni hold up best if the ice runs low.
Cooked it? Rate & review it.
Your rating helps the next camper pick dinner. Got an idea to make it better? Tell us below — good ones get added to the recipe with credit to you.