Italian Chopped Salad in Shells

"I just found this on Recipegoldmine.com. Haven't made this yet, but they sound like an incredible appetizer for a cookout or picnic. Prep time includes 2 hour chilling time."
 
Download
photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by kriszti2000 photo by kriszti2000
photo by Swirling F. photo by Swirling F.
photo by Carianne photo by Carianne
photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
Ready In:
3hrs 10mins
Ingredients:
8
Yields:
36 appetizers
Advertisement

ingredients

Advertisement

directions

  • Cook pasta shells as directed on the package.
  • Drain and cool.
  • Place remaining ingredients except vinaigrette in a medium bowl.
  • Pour vinaigrette over the salad, toss to coat.
  • Stuff the shells with the salad.
  • Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Questions & Replies

Got a question? Share it with the community!
Advertisement

Reviews

  1. Made this for a Fourth of July picnic and everyone RAVED! I made these the night before, and had to substitute pepperoni and hot italian ham, since I didn't have cooked chicken or salami. I added shredded parmesan cheese, too. A word of advice, though; make sure to measure 4 cups of the chopped romaine. I measured 4 cups, then chopped it, and felt more romaine would've been great. There are a lot of ways to slightly change this recipe for different tastes - it's very versatile, and would be a great addition to a brunch, casual, or even more formal buffet. They're perfect finger food, and do look pretty elegant. My friends, family, & I could not have been more pleased. We'll be making this often. Thanks for posting this!
     
  2. Very elegant looking & easy to put together. I really stuffed the shells & only got about 24 appetizers, rather than 34. Took to a Christmas party. It was after work and, being the holidays, I figured everyone would bring sweets. They did and everyone pounced on these! I had some bottled Italian dressing I needed to use up, so didn't get the vinaigrette. When I first put the shells together, thought they were going to be awfully oily & messy but after 2 hrs in the 'fridge they were fine. Will use the vinaigrette next time. Everyone asked me to email the recipe, so will do that and turn them on to 'Zaar! Good recipe!
     
  3. This is a fantastic appetizer. I made these for a spa party I hosted and they were loved by all. I am in full agreement with Vicky Bryant as to the versatility of this recipe. Also, I heeded the advice of the other reviewers and added p;enty of dressing until I thought it looked "right." I excluded the cucumber and tomato and put a greek spin on it with kalamata olives and artichokes. I just crammed it with whatever sounded good to me :). I boiled the shells about 6 hours ahead of time and just coated them with a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. A few shells fell apart in the water but most stayed whole. One more thing, they were full and gorgeous when I first stuffed them but after a few hours they kind of deflated so if you want to do some prep mix all the filling ingredients (except the lettuce and basil) including the dressing. Add the lettuce and basil when you are ready to fill. Thanks for such a wonderful appetizer!!
     
  4. I made these for a weekend BBQ and they were a big HIT! I chopped the romaine, then measured, but still had to add about a cup later to fill all of my shells. I left out the chicken since I was serving it with chicken. Oh, and definitely sprinkle with parmesan. However, my biggest tip for yall is to serve them in a deviled egg tray. They won't roll around that way.
     
  5. This might sound strange but I left out the lettuce,Im not fond of it,I found it pretty good,try it,it's good ribbit ribbit
     
Advertisement

Tweaks

  1. I was a bit skeptical that it would be good, b/c theres no sauce for the shells. However I do trust the ratings. =) It turned out great, very light. I didnt add any chicken and used Italian dressing instead. Im definitely making this for my next party or potluck, great finger food- did I mention, very light in calories.. Thank you!!
     
  2. I leave the tomato and cucumber out, sub in red bell pepper for color, and add shredded cheese.
     
  3. Great finger food! I changed up the recipe a little bit - took out the chicken and basil and added black olives, red onion, and shredded parmesan cheese. Instead of vinaigrette, I used Kraft Light House Italian, and before stuffing the shells, I drizzled a tiny bit of olive oil over them and lightly sprinkled italian seasoning over that. Everyone commented on how fresh they were and how they would be great for a summer get together. Thanks for the great idea!
     
  4. Yooper - my family and I really enjoyed these! Next time, I want to try them with pepperoni. My daughter is pregnant, and a picky eater, so I was able to customize shells for her...I heated the salami in the microwave briefly (to be safe), substituted baby spinach for the romaine (to give her more iron), and left out the chicken for hers (she is not crazy about chicken). In spite of her early pregnancy nausea, she wolfed these down! As did the rest of my family. They kept well in the fridge for a couple of hours too!
     
  5. This was well received at a work Christmas party with many positive comments. I subbed pepperoni for the salami and added some cubed cheddar. I stuffed these the night before but don't recommend that. Thanks for a unique recipe.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

What can I say about myself that hasn't already been mentioned in the police reports? Just kidding! I'm a single guy who loves to cook! Good thing, or I'd starve or go broke eating out! I love to read, horror and mysteries are my favorite. Love music, (except rap) and I'm a huge Green Bay Packer Fan!
 
View Full Profile
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Find More Recipes