If you’re looking for a quick, easy, and delicious salad, this Italian Pasta Salad is a winner!
This is one of those versatile salads that you can easily make your own by using your favorite ingredients.
It takes minutes to prepare but the flavor will have people believing you spent hours making it!
I like to use Rotini pasta in this dish because I want a pasta that can hold the dressing.
It’s important that you taste dressing in every bite and Rotini is my go to pasta for that reason.
Penne would work as well but I wouldn’t use a macaroni noodle because I don’t like the way macaroni holds the vinaigrette.
Next, the veggies!
I use cucumbers, olives, pimento stuffed olives, red onion, pepperoncini, and artichokes.
Use whatever vegetables you like.
Zucchini would work well, and seeded and diced tomatoes would be an added bonus.
Lastly, the meats are Genoa Salami and Black Forest Ham!
If you don’t like meat, make it meatless by omitting it.
I make a meatless version all the time and it’s just as delicious!
Enjoy.
Italian Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 box rotini pasta
- 1 cup marinated artichokes, chopped
- 1 cup black olives, sliced
- 1 cup pimento stuffed olives
- 1 cup pepperoncini, drained
- 1 cup Genoa salami, chopped
- 1 cup black forest ham, chopped
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 hot house cucumber, sliced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup Italian Parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
- extra virgin olive oil
- For the Vinaigrette:
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 lemon, zested, juiced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried, crushed, oregano
- pinch of crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Add pasta and cook according to pasta box directions.
- Mix vinaigrette ingredients into a large jar, shake well, and set aside.
- Place all meat, cheese, seasonings, and veggie ingredients into a large bowl, mix well.
- Drain pasta, rinse in cold water, drain again.
- Coat pasta with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, mix well, place into large bowl with other ingredients.
- Pour vinaigrette over ingredients, mix well and chill for about 1 hour before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
What size box of pasta?
A one pound box.
This has good bones to be great. I found that there was too much grated parmesan in it. It’s salty enough with all the pickled things in it. I might just leave it out next time and replace it with either chunk jalapeno cheddar or maybe goat cheese. Thank you for sharing.
Great idea Cindy. It also depends on the brand and quality of cheese you use. I only use Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in my recipes. And I would never ever use the stuff that comes in a can.
Can’t wait to try this. On the meat do you use slic then chop or do you use a chunk and then chop?
Either way Lora. Sometimes I get a chunk from the deli and then chop it up. But other times I use whatever leftover sandwich meat I have and slices work fine. Enjoy
I’m rice wine vinegar challenged – where can I find this stuff? Is there a more common substitute? This recipe looks SO yummy and I’m making it (hopefully) tomorrow!
Hello Hannah, Check the Asian section in the grocery store. You could also replace with red wine vinegar if you like.
This was so good!! The family loved it. No salt was needed…Cool summer salad.
What can I substitute for the creole seasoning?
Hello Marta, a little seasoning salt. I would use a little less than the recipe calls for.