In my very biased opinion, I could easily eat an Italian sandwich every single day. You know the kind: layered with shredded lettuce, tomato, mayo, Italian meats like mortadella, genoa salami, pepperoni, and with a delicious Italian dressing, Of course, my focaccia Italian sandwich is GOAT, but my antipasto "grinder" pasta salad marries both worlds of Italian meats and cheese, but in pasta salad form.
Pasta salads are elite when it comes to a variety of different mix-ins and flavors, like my caprese pesto pasta salad or like veggie-packed green goddess pasta salad. This grinder pasta salad recipe combines classic flavors like salami, pepperoncini, provolone, and a light herby Italian dressing.
TL; DR Summary - Antipasto Pasta Salad
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level: Easy/Beginner
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 📖 Dietary Info: Dairy, gluten, nightshades (peppers), pork
- 🗝️ Key Ingredients: Pasta, salami, provolone, pepperoni, pepperoncini, dried herbs, olive oil, vinegar, carrots, red onion
- 😋 Taste: Salty, briny, bitter, savory
- 💖 Why You'll Love: This pasta salad is packed with protein, veggies, cheese, and is excellent even if you don't have a bbq to pair it with.
- 🍽️ Best Paired With: Serve a scoop of this a crispy broccoli pita melt, air fryer parmesan broccoli, or alongside sautéed broccoli rabe with garlic for extra veggies.
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Jump to:
- TL; DR Summary - Antipasto Pasta Salad
- Pasta Salad Tips and Reminders
- The Main Ingredients
- Simple Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- How to make a grinder pasta salad
- Mistakes I've Made (so YOU don't have to!)
- Antipasto Pasta Salad FAQs
- You'll love these other delicious pasta salad recipes
- Antipasto "Grinder" Pasta Salad
Pasta Salad Tips and Reminders
- Let the pasta cool before adding in the meats and the cheese. We don't want warm pasta against the cheese as it will soften and melt.
- Make sure to season the boiling water prior to adding the pasta so that the pasta gets seasoned and has flavor.
- Prep all the ingredients ahead of time or while the pasta cooks then cools. Working simultaneously as the pasta cooks helps save time for the overall pasta salad assembly.
- A trusted tip that I've always leaned on for making pasta is cooking the pasta one minute less than what's suggested on the packaging. You want a bite or chew (aka al dente) when eating the pasta, and when combining all the ingredients together.
The Main Ingredients
- Cooked Pasta: Pasta serves as the base of the salad and holds the dressing well.
- Hard Salami: Hard salami adds a savory, meaty flavor throughout the salad.
- Provolone Cheese: Provolone cheese adds a creamy texture and mild flavor that pairs well with the Italian meats.
- Pepperoni: Pepperoni brings a bold, slightly spicy flavor to the salad.
- Pepperoncini: Pepperoncini add a tangy flavor and a little crunch.
- Shredded Carrots: Shredded carrots add color, crunch, and a touch of natural sweetness.
- Red Onion: Red onion adds crunch and a sharp bite that balances the other ingredients.
For the Dressing:
- Dried Herbs (Basil, Parsley, Oregano): Dried Italian herbs add classic Italian flavor to the dressing.
- Salt and Pepper: Salt and pepper season the dressing and enhance the other ingredients.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil helps combine the dressing and coats the pasta evenly.
- White Wine Vinegar: White wine vinegar adds acidity and balances the richness of the dressing.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise creates a creamy dressing that coats the pasta and other ingredients well.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Simple Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- You can easily use your favorite gluten free pasta for this recipe.
- Swap out the red onion for shallots, or omit them entirely if you are not an onion fan.
- Feel free to throw in other veggies like sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, bell peppers, celery, or remove items like the carrots or the pepperoncini.
- Don't feel like making a homemade dressing? Use a standard Italian dressing or whip up a simple "L.O.B." (lemon, olive oil, basil).
How to make a grinder pasta salad
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with 1 tablespoon of salt, then cook pasta until al dente. Drain and let cool.
Step 2: To the pasta, red onion, carrots, and pepperoncini, add the cubed salami, sliced pepperoni, provolone, then toss to combine.
Step 3: Whisk together the white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, olive oil, and dried herbs. Pour the dressing on top of the pasta salad, then toss to ensure that all the pasta and ingredients are dressed. Add a final drizzle of olive oil.
Mistakes I've Made (so YOU don't have to!)
- Do not forget to prep all of the vegetables and ingredients ahead of time, this will delay you if you are doing this while you add the ingredients to the pasta. If there's one thing I've learned form recipe testing, it's making sure that your measurements are laid out beforehand.
- Don't forget to let the pasta salad chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. The chill time helps the pasta salad marinade and pick up flavors from the dressing and from the other ingredients.
Antipasto Pasta Salad FAQs
You can do one of two things:
1. You can assemble it all and let it sit in the fridge until you want to serve it.
2. You can cook the pasta, let it cool, and then have all of the ingredients (including the dressing) ready to go right up until you want to mix and serve.
You can add the remaining pasta salad in a large airtight container and store in the fridge. Consume within 3 days.
If you are not keen into making your own dressing, you can use a standard L.O.B (lemon, olive oil, dried basil) mix and drizzle it over the top, then toss to coat.
Other ingredients like chopped bell peppers, roasted bell peppers, button marinated mushrooms, marinated artichokes, or even sautéed asparagus.
You'll love these other delicious pasta salad recipes
Did you love this recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you!
Antipasto "Grinder" Pasta Salad
Equipment
- large pot
- wooden spoon
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini
- 1 cup hard salami cubed
- ½ cup carrots shredded
- 6-7 greek pepperoncini finely sliced
- 6 slices pepperoni chopped
- ½ cup red onion finely diced
- 1 cup provolone cheese cubed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with 1 tablespoon of salt, then cook pasta until al dente. Drain and let cool.
- To the pasta, red onion, carrots, and pepperoncini, add the cubed salami, sliced pepperoni, provolone, then toss to combine.
- Whisk together the white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, olive oil, and dried herbs. Pour the dressing on top of the pasta salad, then toss to ensure that all the pasta and ingredients are dressed. Add a final drizzle of olive oil.
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