Description
A vibrant and flavorful Italian antipasto pasta salad featuring rotini pasta, cured meats, marinated vegetables, fresh mozzarella, and a zesty Italian vinaigrette. Perfect as a refreshing side or light main course with a delightful mix of textures and bright colors.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces Dry Rotini Pasta (substitute with any short pasta if desired)
Meats
- 4 ounces Hard Salami (pre-sliced for convenience)
- 4 ounces Pepperoni (pre-sliced for ease)
Vegetables & Olives
- 1 can Canned Artichoke Hearts (drained and quartered)
- 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
- 1 cup Olives (mix of Kalamata and green, pitted and halved)
- 3 pieces Pepperoncini (pre-sliced, adjust quantity to taste)
- 1/2 medium Red Onion (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil (chopped)
Dairy
- 8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella Pearls
Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 cloves Minced Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dry rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool it completely, preventing it from sticking together.
- Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra light tasting olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Refrigerate the vinaigrette to meld the flavors while preparing the rest of the salad.
- Chop the Ingredients: Dice the hard salami and pepperoni into bite-sized pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes, quarter the drained artichoke hearts, halve and pit the olives if not already done, thinly slice the red onion, slice the pepperoncini, and chop the fresh basil.
- Combine the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled rotini pasta. Toss in the diced salami, pepperoni, artichoke hearts, halved cherry tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, sliced red onion, fresh mozzarella pearls, and chopped basil. Drizzle the prepared vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Chill (Optional): Cover the salad with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the flavors to marry and the salad to chill before serving. This step is optional but recommended for best taste.
Notes
- Use pre-sliced salami, pepperoni, and pepperoncini to speed up preparation.
- Extra light tasting olive oil is recommended to avoid overpowering the salad’s fresh flavors.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the salami and pepperoni and add more olives or roasted vegetables.
- Chilling the salad enhances the flavor but can be served immediately if needed.
- Adjust red pepper flakes and salt to taste depending on your spice and seasoning preferences.
