Pasta Salad

Emily

A colorful, hearty pasta salad loaded with fresh vegetables, mozzarella, salami, and olives, tossed in a zesty homemade Italian dressing. Perfect for cookouts, picnics, or make-ahead meals.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Fresh and filling salads

Cuisine: Italian-American

Calories: 480

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked pasta (rotini or similar)
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese balls, halved
1 pound salami or summer sausage, cubed
0.75 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
0.75 cup pepperoncini, sliced (optional)
0.5 cup red onion, sliced
0.5 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1.5 cups olive oil
0.25 cup water
2 tbsp coarse sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
black pepper, to taste
fresh herbs (parsley, basil, or chives, optional)

Equipment

Large pot
Colander
Large mixing bowl
knife and cutting board
jar or blender (for dressing)
serving spoon

Method

Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water for more flavor. Drain, cool slightly, and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Blend or shake together olive oil, vinegar, water, sea salt, garlic, sugar, oregano, basil, and black pepper to make the dressing. Add fresh herbs if desired.
In a large bowl, toss together pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, olives, pepperoncini, red onion, and parsley. Pour in about three-fourths of the dressing and mix well.
Store leftovers in the fridge and add the remaining dressing before serving to refresh. Best enjoyed the next day.

Notes

For best flavor, let the salad chill for a few hours before serving. It tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. Use any short pasta shape like rotini, fusilli, or penne. Save extra dressing to freshen leftovers.