Meet your new summer bestie:
A easy Italian pasta salad with rotini, juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, red onion, salami, olives, herbs, and a drench of quick homemade Italian dressing.
If you want to know what I’ve eaten for 4 of my last 5 meals, it’s THIS SUMMER ESSENTIAL. We are kind of having a moment here.
Choose from a classic Garlic pasta, tomato basil pasta, Spaghetti Napolitana (tomato pasta), Arrabiata (spicy tomato pasta), pasta with anchovies, spaghetti with olives and tuna pasta!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces pepperoni sausage, diced
- 6 ounces provolone cheese, cubed
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 (6 ounce) can pitted black olives
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard seed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
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 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 .
Steps
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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
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In a large bowl, mix the cooled pasta, pepperoni, provolone cheese, red onion, cucumber, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, olives, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.
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In a jar with a lid, mix the olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Seal jar, and shake well.
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Pour the dressing mixture over the pasta salad, and toss to coat. Cover, and chill 8 hours in the refrigerator
Special 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.
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 (fet parmesan), or different shapes of pasta (pen fusili maybe even some tortellini?) the possibilities are endless. I love this salad as-is but I also love its flexibility!
