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Closeup of Italian pasta salad in a large bowl
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Italian Pasta Salad

Italian Pasta salad is packed with good stuff like salami, provolone, and mild and tangy pepperoncini, and dressed in a creamy Italian dressing. Perfect for cookouts and lunches.
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling time 2 hours
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 10 servings (as a side)
Calories 337kcal
Author Ann Otis

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed (from about 1 lemon)
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar or honey
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • salt and pepper to taste

Pasta Salad

  • 3/4 lb pasta shapes such as penne or rotini
  • 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 6 pepperoncini peppers thinly sliced
  • 3 oz sliced salami or pepperoni, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 3 oz sliced provolone cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup parsley chopped

Instructions

Dressing

  • Using an immersion blender or a bowl and whisk, blend together the lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, sugar, and mayo.
  • Slowly drizzle in the oil while blending or whisking until dressing is creamy and emulsified. Set aside

Pasta Salad

  • Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a large salad bowl or mixing bowl.
  • Add the onions, tomatoes, peppers, salami, provolone and parsley to the pasta, pour 1/2 the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Add more dressing to taste.

Notes

This recipe makes 1 1/4 cups of dressing. We usually use about 1 cup to dress the salad, but you can add more or less to taste.
If you can't find provolone, try substituting mozzarella or bocconcini.
Letting the salad sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving is optional but I find it helps to meld and mellow out the flavors.

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 310mg | Potassium: 206mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 339IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg