Italian Capricciosa Salad (Coleslaw Salad) – an easy and rich Italian recipe, known as Insalata Capricciosa. A simple deli-style salad (but prepared easily at home) with julienned vegetables, pickles, ham, cheese, and olives in a light mayonnaise dressing. Served as side dish or appetizer, this easy salad is a real treat.
You could think of Insalata Capricciosa as Italy’s take on coleslaw – same sort of crunch and creamy dressing, but a lot richer, a bit fancier, and unmistakably Italian in flavor. It’s super easy to whip up at home, and you can tweak it however you fancy.
MORE sides and appetizers? Try: German Stuffed Mushrooms (Vegetarian)
Behind the Bites
Insalata Capricciosa is a typical Italian antipasto whose name is a nudge to its playful, mixed‐ingredient character. Although it is considered a specialty of the Piedmont region, its popularity spread widely through family cooking and gastronomies across Italy.
There is no firm evidence for a single inventor or precise date of origin; rather, it seems to have emerged in the 20th century as Italian home‐cooking and deli culture developed. Over time, regional variations appeared, depending on what preserved mushrooms, meats, or local cheeses were available.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Celery sticks -should be cooked
- Carrots – should be cooked
- Pickles
- Artichoke – from a jar or a can, drained
- Kalamata olives – or green olives
- Ham – any type of non-fat deli meat
- Cheese – yellow cheese of any kind with neutral taste, or anything you really like
- Mayonnaise – homemade or store-bought
- Plain Yogurt – optional
- Sea salt and black pepper
How to make Capricciosa Salad?
1st: Slice the celery and carrot and boil in hot water until fully cooked. Drain and let cool completely.
2nd: Slice the rest of the ingredients, mix in the mayonnaise and Yogurt. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Salad can be cooled before serving.
Italian Capricciosa Salad – Coleslaw Salad
Ingredients
- 2 medium celery stciks
- 1 medium carrot, sliced in strips
- 6 medium pickles
- 200 g artichoke
- 100 g kalamata olives
- 100 g ham, sliced in strips
- 100 g yellow cheese, sliced in strips
- 2-3 tbsp. mayonnaise, or more
- 1 tbsp. plain yogurt, optional
- sea salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- First, slice the celery and carrot into thin strips, place into small cooking pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and let simmer until vegetables are cooked.
- Then, in the meantime, slice the pickles, ham, cheese and artichokes – again in strips.
- Next, drain the celery and carrot and let cool completely. Combine in a salad bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Finally, add in the mayonnaise and yogurt, season with salt and pepper and serve. Or cool in the fridge for 1-2 hours and serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
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An easy salad recipe for the whole family.