Description
This vibrant summer pasta salad is packed with marinated mozzarella, salami, and fresh herbs, all tossed in a zesty pepperoncini-spiked dressing—perfect for picnics, BBQs, and make-ahead meals.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Summer Pasta Salad:
- 1 lb short pasta (fusilli, gemelli, or gigli work great)
- 8 oz dry-cured salami, diced
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz mini mozzarella balls
- 1 (3.5 oz) can sliced black olives, drained
- ¾ cup sliced pepperoncini (about 3 oz), drained
- 1 (6.5 oz) jar quartered marinated artichokes, drained (optional)
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
For the Italian Dressing:
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp pepperoncini juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
For the Best Summer Pasta Salad:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While the water heats, make the dressing: combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, pepperoncini juice, mustard, and all the seasonings in a bowl or jar. Whisk (or shake) until well emulsified. Set aside.
- Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool to stop the cooking process and to avoid it from soaking up too much of your dressing.
- For a less harsh red onion taste, rinse your red onions under cold water prior to adding.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with salami, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, pepperoncini, artichokes, red onion, basil, and parmesan.
- Give the dressing a final whisk, pour over the salad, and toss to combine. Taste and adjust for salt or acid as needed.
- Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10