Italian Pasta Salad
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5.0
21 reviews
Excellent
Italian Pasta Salad
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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.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. pasta
- 7 ounces salami (thick, cut into quarters)
- 4 ounces pepperoni (cut into quarters)
- 8 to 10 ounces provolone or mozzarella cheese (cut into cubes)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes (sliced in half lengthwise)
- 1 cucumber (sliced)
- 2 Tablespoons red onion (diced)
- 1/4 cup Pepperoncini peppers (diced)
Italian Pasta Salad Dressing:
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder or 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons honey
Garnish:
- 1/4 cup freshly 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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Overall Rating
5.0
21 reviews
Excellent
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