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Italian Pasta Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing

Recipe video above. If you're going to make a giant pasta, make it RIGHT with a beautiful homemade Italian Dressing!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 430 kcal
Course: Salad , Dinner
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Italian Dressing
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar (I like using red)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Note 1)
  • 1 tbsp sugar (any)
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tsp each dried basil and oregano
  • 1/4 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (red pepper flakes) (optional)
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Pasta Salad
  • 300g/10oz spiral pasta, or other pasta of choice
  • 180g/6oz thick sliced salami, cut into 2.5cm/1" batons (see photo in post or videos) (I use spicy salami)
  • 200g/7oz baby bocconcini, halved (Note 2)
  • 1 red capsicum/bell pepper, cut into 3cm/2.2cm strips
  • 250g/8oz whole olives (I used Sicilian and pitted black) (Note 3)
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (~1.5 Australian punnets)
  • 1 cup (tightly packed) fresh basil leaves

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.
  2. Cook pasta according to packet directions minus 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop it cooking further. Shake excess water off well then transfer into large bowl.
  3. Place remaining Pasta Salad ingredients in the bowl. Drizzle over Dressing and toss. Serve at room temperature.
Make ahead PRO TIP (Note 4):
    Cup of Yum
  1. SCOOP OUT a mug of pasta cooking water just before draining. Add 3 tbsp water to Dressing, shake well. Use this Dressing per above, but reserve 3 tbsp to freshen up pasta salad on Day 2 onwards.
  2. Freshen up pasta salad: Bring to room temp or briefly microwave (cold pasta = dry) to warm gently. Toss with Reserved Dressing then serve.

Notes

  • If the parmesan is not freshly grated, it will not dissolve in the dressing. So if you are using store bought pre grated parmesan, that's totally fine but sprinkle it on the salad instead of putting it in the dressing.
  • I used baby bocconcini (which is small balls of fresh mozzarella sold at all supermarkets here in Australia) but you can use any sized bocconcini you want. Just chop it into small pieces.
  • You can use sliced olives if you prefer. I typically opt for whole olives because they are so much juicier! Sicilian olives are green and perfect for an Italian Pasta Salad. They are kind of buttery and smoother than other types of olives.
  • Leftovers: I swear this is even better the next day! 
  • PRO TIP to keep pasta salads juicy when making ahead (as they tend to dry out the next day) - increase volume of dressing by shaking it up with pasta cooking water. Starch in water emulsifies with fat in dressing = more dressing volume, same amount of flavour = can reserve some dressing = juicier pasta salad.
  • Also, cold pasta is drier. Let it come to room temp or even microwave briefly, the toss with reserved Dressing!
  • Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving 204g Calories 430cal (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 430

% Daily Value*

Serving 204g
Calories 430cal 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.