Name: The Best Easy Italian Pasta Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 pound uncooked pasta – I like rotini!; 3 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half; 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese balls, cut in half; 1 lb. salami or summer sausage, cut into cubes; 3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced; 3/4 cup pepperoncini (optional, but do it); 1/2 cup sliced red onion; 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1 1/2 cups olive oil; 1/4 cup white vinegar (white vinegar or red wine vinegar work); 1/4 cup water; 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt (yes, tablespoons – see notes!); 2 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder); 1 tablespoon sugar; 2 teaspoons each dry oregano and dry basil; black pepper to taste; fresh herbs if you want! sometimes I add fresh parsley, basil, or chives.

Description

Super easy Italian Pasta Salad – with pasta, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, spicy salami, pepperoncini, olives, and easy Italian dressing. DANGEROUSLY GOOD.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta Salad Essentials:

1 pound uncooked pasta – I like rotini!
3 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese balls, cut in half
1 lb. salami or summer sausage, cut into cubes
3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
3/4 cup pepperoncini (optional, but do it)
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Italian Pasta Salad Dressing:

1 1/2 cups olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar (white vinegar or red wine vinegar work)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt (yes, tablespoons – see notes!)
2 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons each dry oregano and dry basil
black pepper to taste
fresh herbs if you want! sometimes I add fresh parsley, basil, or chives.

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, in salted water for more flavor. Allow to cool slightly and toss with a little oil to prevent sticking.
Blend up the dressing, or shake together in a jar.
Toss all ingredients together! I like to use about three-fourths of the dressing, and then I save the rest of the dressing to add to my leftovers.
Keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. I think it actually tastes best the day AFTER you make it.

Equipment

Serving Bowl

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Glass Jar

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Serving Spoon

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Notes

Salt FYI: Please note that the amount written is for COARSE sea salt. If you are using fine table salt, start with 2 teaspoons and add more to taste. The dressing itself will be very salty. Like, too salty for a normal salad. But in this recipe, that’s what we want! That dressing is going to get tossed with an entire pound of plain pasta, as well as a whole lot of fresh unseasoned vegetables, and it will taste delicious once it’s all tossed up.

Customizing Your Pasta Salad: By all means, customize this salad – that’s what it does best! Try adding blanched green beans, fresh spinach, artichokes, red or yellow peppers, chickpeas, etc. for a more veg-forward version. Or different types of cheese (feta? parmesan?), or different shapes of pasta (penne? fusili? maybe even some tortellini?)… the possibilities are endless. I love this salad as-is but I also love its flexibility!

Category: Side
Method: Mix
Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: italian pasta salad, pasta salad recipe, best pasta salad