Full of salty black olives, sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella balls, and artichoke hearts, this Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad is a Summer staple! It's a perfect side dish for any barbecue or Summer gathering!
This is the perfect recipe to make any time of the year! It's delicious as a side dish, a lunch, or even as a main course for dinner! It's loaded with Italian meats and classic antipasto salad ingredients.
Pasta salads are an easy recipe to make. They are great the day of, but they are even better the next day! I love Greek Pasta Salad with Penne, Linguine Pasta Salad, Bowtie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing, Chicken and Bacon Caesar Pasta Salad, and Orzo Pesto Pasta Salad. They are perfect for any gathering!
If you need some recipes to serve with pasta salad, make sure to check out all these delicious recipes in this what to serve with pasta salad roundup!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's great for meal prep! Make a big batch of this pasta salad and separate it into mason jars and enjoy it throughout the week for lunch or dinners.
- It's versatile! There are lots of fresh ingredients that you can add to this delicious salad!
- It's perfect for Summer! You can serve this salad cold or room temperature, so it's perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients to Gather
- Pasta. Use your favorite pasta variety. Rotini or penne would be classic.
- Dressing ingredients. You will need red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
- Veggies. Cherry tomatoes cut in half or grape tomatoes are best. You can use large tomatoes but cut into pieces.
- Cheese. Fresh mozzarella gives this pasta salad a creamy texture. You can use marinated mozzarella pearls or cut a log of mozzarella cheese.
- Fresh herbs. We are using both fresh basil and fresh parsley to add a brightness to this delicious pasta salad. It you do not have fresh herbs, use 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning to the simple homemade Italian dressing.
- Italian meats. We will be using hard salami for this recipe.
Variations
- Change up the veggies! Add red peppers, red onion, green onions, cucumbers, or green olives.
- Change up the cheese! You can use feta, cheddar cheese, or parmesan cheese.
- Change up the dressing! You can use balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar. Just keep in mind that balsamic vinegar will make the pasta darker.
Step by Step Instructions
What to Serve With Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
- Chicken Drumsticks in the Instant Pot
- Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot
- Turkey Tenderloin in the Instant Pot
- Chicken Burgers with Spinach and Feta
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This Italian pasta salad recipe will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes! You can use your favorite gluten free pasta or chick pea pasta for this recipe.
This will ensure that the pasta does not overcook. Running cold water over the pasta makes it so the pasta stops cooking and is al dente.
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📖 Recipe
Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pasta Any variety
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- ½ cup Red Wine Vinegar
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
- ¼ cup Fresh Basil Chopped
- 1 cup Artichoke Hearts Cut in half
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes Halved
- 1 can Black Olives drained
- 1 cup Mozzarella Balls Cut in half
- 1 cup Hard Salami Diced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the pasta to the water and cook according to package instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh parsley, and fresh basil to a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
- Add the artichoke hearts, black olives, mozzarella balls, black olives, and hard salami to the bowl.
- Drain the pasta and run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking process. Add the pasta to the large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 2 hours and serve.
Notes
- Change up the veggies! Add red peppers, red onion, green onions, cucumbers, or green olives.
- Change up the cheese! You can use feta, cheddar cheese, or parmesan cheese.
- Change up the dressing! You can use balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar. Just keep in mind that balsamic vinegar will make the pasta darker.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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