Italian Pasta Salad

5 from 5 votes

Packed with everything from sweet cherry tomatoes, crunchy Persian cucumbers, silky fresh mozzarella, briny kalamata olives, and your favorite pasta, this Chopped Italian Pasta Salad is sure to be a picnic staple. Easy to make and even easier to customize, this dish is an excellent side for summer grilling, potlucks, and picnics alike.

Prep Time10

Cook Time6

Total Time16

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Low Fat

Servings: people

Author: Adrianna Adarme

Ingredients

Pasta:

1 pound pasta of choice (I used cavatappi)
3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons + 1 cup extra virgin olive oil divided

Salad Dressing:

2 garlic cloves finely minced or grated
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
2 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sugar
1 cup olive oil

Pasta Salad Assembly:

1 pint cherry tomatoes halved or quartered depending on size
½ cup pitted kalamata olives drained and halved
½ cup sliced pepperoncinis
3 Persian cucumbers diced
8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
8 ounces provolone cubed
8 ounces salami cut into matchsticks
1 red onion peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup finely minced fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

To Cook the Pasta:

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 3 tablespoons of kosher salt. Cook the pasta according to the package’s instructions, until al dente.
Drain the pasta and immediately toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and set aside to cool.

To Make the Dressing:

In a bowl, cover the garlic with the red wine vinegar and let sit for a few minutes. This mellows the garlic a little. Add the mustard, oregano, the remaining 1 ¼ teaspoons of kosher salt, black pepper, and sugar and whisk until combined. Add the 1 cup olive oil and whisk until well combined and emulsified. Set the dressing aside.

To Make the Salad:

When the pasta is cooled, transfer it to a large bowl (the biggest you’ve got or two if you think it won’t all fit), and add the tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, cucumbers, mozzarella, provolone, salami, red onion, and parsley and toss to combine.
Evenly drizzle the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until the dressing is well distributed. You can serve it immediately or transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. If you’re serving it later, you can add more vinegar, olive oil, salt, or pepper as needed.

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