Italian Pasta Salad
Colorful pasta salad with vegetables, mozzarella, and salami tossed in a zesty Italian dressing. Great for picnics and potlucks.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rotini or fusilli pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained and cooled
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh mozzarella pearls, or diced mozzarella
- 1/4 cup salami, diced into small cubes
- 1/2 bell pepper, diced, preferably red or yellow for color
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, quartered, marinated in oil and drained
- 2 tbsp pepperoncini peppers, sliced
- 1/4 cup Italian dressing, store-bought or homemade
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tbsp fresh basil and cilantro, chopped
- to taste salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
-
1
Cook 2 cups rotini or fusilli pasta cooked according to package directions, drained and cooled.
-
2
While the pasta is cooling, prepare all your vegetables and other ingredients: halve 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, dice 1/2 diced, preferably red or yellow for color bell pepper and 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, prepare 1/4 cup sliced black olives, 1/2 cup quartered, marinated in oil and drained artichoke hearts, and 2 tbsp sliced pepperoncini peppers.
-
3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, 1/4 cup or diced mozzarella fresh mozzarella pearls, 1/4 cup diced into small cubes salami, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, artichoke hearts, and pepperoncini peppers.
-
4
Pour 1/4 cup store-bought or homemade Italian dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Start with about 3/4 of the dressing, then add more as needed to achieve your desired level of flavor.
-
5
Add 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil and cilantro to the bowl. Season with to taste to taste salt and black pepper, then toss again to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
-
6
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. For best results, refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
-
7
Just before serving, toss the salad again and taste to adjust seasonings. You may want to add a little more dressing as the pasta tends to absorb it during chilling.
-
8
This pasta salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance and keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
-
9
For a vegetarian version, simply omit the salami. For a vegan version, omit both the salami and cheese or substitute with plant-based alternatives.