Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

Name: Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb short-cut pasta (like fusilli, rotini, bowtie, etc); 1/2 red onion (diced); 1 English cucumber (diced); 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved); 1 head radicchio or treviso (thinly sliced); 1/2 c sliced pepperoncini; 1/2 c sliced olives (Castelvetrano, Cerignola, or Kalamata); 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed); 8 oz mini mozzarella balls (drained); 1/4 lb sliced Genoa salami (cut into strips); 1/4 c red wine vinegar; 1/4 c lemon juice; 1/4 c dijon mustard; 2 cloves garlic (grated); 1 1/2 c olive oil

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Pasta salad has forever been my go-to side dish! This version is based on my favorite local Italian chopped salad, which is filled with genoa salami, fresh mozzarella, pepperoncini peppers, olives, lots of dried oregano, and a zesty red wine vinaigrette. This easy-to-make, chilled pasta salad is great for make-ahead lunches, picnics or a simple side dish at your next backyard bash!

a large white bowl of Italian Pasta Salad with rotini pasta, olives, salami, mozzarella, cucumber and tomatoes

Everyone needs a great pasta salad in their recipe repertoire and this one is my go-to! This cool and refreshing salad is a perfect side dish or lunch. If you’re planning on serving it for a party make it the day before and let the flavors marinate overnight.

If you love this pasta salad recipe you’re also going to want to check out Spring Couscous Salad with Feta and Avocado and Farro Salad with Crushed Olives and Fennel!

Ingredients You’ll Need

The best part of this recipe is the ingredients are VERSATILE! Feel free to swap out your preferred cheese or veggies. If you don’t like olives or tomatoes.. feel free to omit them! If you’d like to make this pasta salad vegetarian you can leave out the salami.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Italian Pasta Salad:

Salad: cooked pasta, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, salami, cucumbers, garbanzo beans, radicchio, red onion, pepperoncini, and olives.
Dressing: red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, dried oregano, and olive oil.

Italian Pasta Salad ingredients in individual bowls, olives, pasta, radicchio, tomatoes, salami, cucumber, garbanzo beans

Recipe Step by Step

Step 1. Make the Dressing

Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Then add in the chopped onion. Let this sit for 10 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.

Step 2. Toss

Toss the salad ingredients with the dressing. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

a metal mixing bowl with vinaigrette, a glass mixing bowl with Italian Pasta Salad ingredients and another bowl with Italian Pasta Salad tossed with dressing

Step 4. Serve

Taste and season with more salt, pepper, olive oil or vinegar as needed. Divide between bowls and serve.

FAQs & Tips and Tricks:

For the best flavor let your pasta salad marinate.

After the pasta salad ingredients are tossed with the dressing cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld and the pasta to absorb the dressing for a super-flavorful salad.

What should you serve with Italian Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is a great side dish for a BBQ or picnic. Serve it alongside Oven Roasted BBQ Salmon, Grilled Peel, and Eat Shrimp or Grilled Chicken with Marinated Tomatoes.

a white bowl filled with Italian Pasta Salad on a blue background

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Ingredients You’ll Need