Italian Pasta Salad
Yield: 12 servings
Calories: 404kcal
Easy Italian pasta salad loaded with fresh vegetables, mozzarella, salami, and tossed in a tangy herb vinaigrette, it's the perfect side dish for your next party.
Ingredients
Italian Pasta Salad
- 4 quarts (946 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) kosher salt
- 1 pound (454 g) rotini pasta
- 6 ounces (170 g) mozzarella cheese balls, halved
- 4 ounces (113 g) sliced salami, cut into ¼" thick pieces
- 1 cup (157 g) baby tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup (66 g) red bell pepper, ½" dice
- ½ cup (66 g) green bell pepper, ½" dice
- ½ cup (66 g) red onion, ¼" dice
- ½ cup (64 g) black olives, sliced
- ⅓ cup (30 g) sliced pepperoncini
- 1 tablespoon (3 g) chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon (1 g) sliced basil leaves
Italian Dressing
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (30 ml) honey
- 1 tablespoon (30 ml) dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) mayonnaise
- 1 ½ teaspoon (6 g) minced garlic
- ¾ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup (270 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
Special Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta - In a large pot bring water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Cook pasta until slightly softer than al dente, about 9 to 10 minutes.
- Drain the Pasta - Drain pasta, rinse with cold water until cool, about 1 minute. Thoroughly drain excess water and then add noodles to a large bowl.
- Mix the Salad - Top pasta with mozzarella cheese, salami, tomatoes, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, black olives, pepperoncini, parsley, and basil. Stir to combine.
- Make the Dressing - In a medium bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, honey, mustard, Italian seasoning, mayonnaise, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Thicken the Dressing - Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, vigorously whisk until a thickened emulsified dressing forms. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired.
- To Serve - Drizzle 1 cup of the Italian dressing over the pasta and gently toss until combined. Add more as desired or serve the extra dressing on the side.
Notes
- Recipe Yield: 12 cups
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Dressing Makes: 1 ½ cups
- Vinegar Substitute: White wine vinegar can be substituted for red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Sweetener Substitute: Maple syrup can be substituted for honey.
- Homemade Italian Seasoning: ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried teaspoon parsley, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary.
- Storing: The pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add more dressing to enhance the taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 493mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe Link
Recipe Video