Italian Pasta Salad
This homemade Italian Pasta Salad is packed with mini bow tie pasta, pepperoni, salami, two kinds of mozzarella, crisp vegetables, and a bold homemade Italian vinaigrette. It's the perfect make-ahead side dish for cookouts, potlucks, picnics, meal prep, and summer gatherings.
Servings 8 people
Ingredients
Prep the tomatoes
- 1 ½ cup halved grape tomatoes placed into a small bowl with 1/2 tsp salt tossed in.
The Dressing
- ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 5 tbsp Red wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Pepperoncini juice
- 6 tbsp to 1/2 cup Grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup Minced onions
- 2 tbsp Fresh minced parsley
- 1 tbsp Slightly dried basil from the store in a container
- ½ tsp Dried oregano
- ¼ tsp Smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp Garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Salt add additional salt if necessary
Pasta, Meat & Veggies
- ¼ cup Minced onions
- 1 cup Diced cucumber seeds removed
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives Add more if you like
- 1 ½ tbsp Pepperoncini chopped
- ½ cup Pepperoni cut into bite sized pieces **see notes.
- ½ cup Salami cut into bite sized pieces **see notes.
- ½ cup Pearl mozzarella balls
- ½ cup BelGioioso marinated mozzarella balls **see notes
- ¼ tsp Smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp Fresh minced parsley
- ¼ tsp Salt for taste add more if necessary
- 2 ½ cups Mini bowtie pasta or half of a 16 oz box of pasta
Instructions
- Prep and Rest the Tomatoes: First, toss your halved grape tomatoes with 1/4 tsp of salt in a small bowl. Set them aside for 15 minutes to let them release their juices.
- Whisk the Dressing: In a medium bowl or jar, combine all dressing ingredients, including the 6 tbsp to 1/2 cup of grated parmesan, smoked paprika, slightly dried basil, half of the fresh minced parsley, and half of the minced onions. Whisk vigorously until the parmesan, dijon, and herbs are fully incorporated.
- Assemble the Italian Pasta Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine your tender, cooled mini bow tie pasta with the remaining half of the minced onions, the smoked paprika for the mix-ins, the pearl mozzarella, the BelGioioso marinated mozzarella, pepperocini, kalamata olives, pepperoni, salami, the remaining fresh minced parsley, and your seeded, diced cucumber.
- Dress and Chill the Italian Pasta Salad: Add the salted grape tomatoes and its juice to the large bowl. If you are not serving the salad right away, pour in only half of the dressing and save the rest. Toss thoroughly to coat everything, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Serve the Italian Pasta Salad When ready to serve, pour the reserved dressing over the pasta salad and give it a final toss to bring back all that moisture and flavor.