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Italian Pasta Salad

This easy Italian pasta salad is bold, zippy, make-ahead friendly, and perfect for potlucks, picnics, or simple summer meals.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

For the pasta salad:

  • 1 pound uncooked pasta (I used rotini)
  • 1 pint (10–12 oz) cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup pearl mozzarella
  • 6 ounces salami sliced or chopped
  • 3/4 cup sliced pepperoncini
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives halved
  • 1 cup roasted red bell peppers chopped
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil chopped
  • 2/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving

For the red wine vinaigrette:

  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 garlic clove finely grated or minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon pepperoncini brine

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, then rinse briefly with cool water until no longer hot (but not fully chilled). Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the red wine vinegar, Dijon, honey, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and pepperoncini brine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until emulsified.
  • Toss the salad. Add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, pepperoncini, red onion, olives, and roasted red peppers to the bowl with the pasta. Pour in the vinaigrette and toss until evenly coated.
  • Finish. Add the basil and Parmesan, then toss again until everything is well combined.
  • Rest + serve. Let the salad sit for at least 15–20 minutes so the flavors can meld. Toss once more and serve with extra Parmesan on top.