Easy Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad
Loaded with salami, pepperoni, lots of veggies, mozzarella & a homemade zesty Italian dressing! This antipasto pasta salad is simple, hearty & the perfect combination of classic Italian flavors! Serve it as a side dish or entree - it's delicious either way!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the antipasto salad:
- 8 oz. dry pasta (bow tie or rotini)
- 9 oz. hard salami, chopped (or ¾ cup presliced)
- 6.5 oz. pepperoni, chopped (or ½ cup presliced)
- 1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained & quartered
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup olives, pitted & halved (kalamata, green or a mixture of the two)
- ½ cup pepperoncini, sliced
- 8 oz. mozzarella pearls
- ¼ cup red onion, sliced thin
- ⅓ cup fresh basil, sliced thin
For the Italian vinaigrette:
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Instructions
To make the vinaigrette:
- Whisk your vinaigrette ingredients together then set it aside while you prepare the rest of your salad.
To make the pasta salad:
- Cook your pasta according to the package's directions then set it aside to cool completely once done.
- While the pasta is cooling, cut and prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- Then add your cooled pasta to a large bowl along with your salami, pepperoni, tomatoes, artichokes, pepperoncini, olives, mozzarella, onion and fresh basil. Pour your desired amount of dressing over the top and toss the salad until it's fully coated.
- Serve immediately or let it chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours before serving.
Notes
*These are suggested amounts for your ingredients. If you prefer more or less of an ingredient please feel free to alter the recipe to your personal preference.