How to make the best pasta salad with Italian meats, cheese, pasta, and vegetables, all tossed with a homemade creamy red wine vinaigrette. This is such an easy, popular pasta salad recipe.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: italian pasta salad, pasta salad
Servings: 8
Author: Modern Honey® - www.modernhoney.com
Ingredients
1lb.Pasta
7ouncesSalami(thick, cut into quarters)
4ouncesPepperoni(cut into quarters)
8 to 10ouncesProvolone or Mozzarella Cheese(cut into cubes)
1cupGrape Tomatoes(sliced in half lengthwise)
1Cucumber(sliced)
2TablespoonsRed Onion(diced)
1/4cupPepperoncini Peppers(diced)
Italian Pasta Salad Dressing:
1cupOlive Oil
1/3cupRed Wine Vinegar
1/4teaspoonGarlic Powder or 2 Garlic Cloves
1/2teaspoonOregano
1/2teaspoonRed Chili Flakes
1teaspoonSalt
1teaspoonPepper
2TablespoonsMayonnaise
2TablespoonsHoney
Garnish:
1/4cupFreshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Basil(cut into ribbons)
Instructions
Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Make sure to generously salt your water! Drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, cut the vegetables and cut the meats and cheeses into cubes.
Make the dressing in a blender or a bowl by combining all of the ingredients together. Taste for seasonings and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Toss the cooked pasta with the dressing and add the vegetables first and then the meats and cheeses. Top with fresh parmesan cheese and basil.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Pasta -- choose your favorite shaped pasta for this recipe.
Salami -- I like to use thicker salami cut into rounds and then quartered. I use Boar's Head Salami.
Provolone Cheese -- use provolone or mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes. For more flavor, use provolone cheese.
Pepperoni -- use packaged pepperoni or freshly sliced pepperoni from the deli counter and cut into quarters.
Tomatoes -- I prefer to use grape tomatoes and cut in half lengthwise.
Cucumber -- I like to use Hot House or English cucumbers because they have fewer seeds and are firmer.
Pepperoncini Peppers -- these yellow peppers add tang and a touch of spice and flavor to the pasta salad.
Parmesan Cheese -- this is an optional ingredient but for some nutty, salty flavor, add freshly grated parmesan cheese to the top of the pasta salad.
Homemade Italian Dressing -- made from scratch. This creamy Italian dressing is the best pasta salad dressing.
I make a generous amount of pasta salad dressing since the pasta soaks up the dressing once it is chilled in the refrigerator. The dressing seasons and flavors the pasta and other ingredients.