Antipasto Pasta Salad (with pepperoni)

This antipasto pasta salad is my go-to recipe whenever I’m asked to bring a pasta salad to a picnic or potluck.

Every time I do, at least three people ask me for the recipe and usually hover over the bowl, shooing other would-be diners away so they can keep more for themselves. I’m not joking.

Try my antipasto Italian salad and see what the fuss is about!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• It can be made ahead of time.
• This pasta salad is overflowing with everyone’s favorite Italian antipasto ingredients, like fresh chunks of mozzarella and diced pepperoni.
• It will make you a hero (minus the cape).
• Kids love it.
• No mayonnaise in the antipasto salad dressing means you can leave it out without fear of spoiling.
• Leftovers are great for a brown-bag lunch (not that you’ll have leftovers).

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Red Onion
• Broccoli Florets
• Red Bell Pepper
• Kalamata Olives
• Tomatoes (you can chop whole tomatoes or use grape or cherry tomatoes, halved)
• Pepperoncini Peppers (from a jar).
• Bowtie Pasta (farfalle)
• Pepperoni Stick
• Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
• Antipasto Salad Dressing (recipe given)
• Fresh Basil

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta to al dente, rinse with cold water and drain it well. Set the pasta aside to cool.
2. Combine the red onion, broccoli florets, bell pepper, olives, tomato, pepperoncini peppers, mozzarella and pepperoni in a large bowl and toss to combine.
3. Add the room temperatue pasta to the Italian antipasto mixture toss to combine.
4. Pour the antipasto salad dressing over the pasta salad and toss again.
5. Refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to marry and the broccoli to absorb a bit of dressing.
6. Just before serving, toss with chopped fresh basil.

Pro-Tips:

• Ensure the ingredients have been patted dry before adding them to the salad, especially if you’ve rinsed your vegetables. Excess moisture can water it down.
• Pepperoni sticks have an inedible papery skin that must be removed before chopping and adding to the salad. Use a sharp paring knife to make a shallow slit in the side of the meat stick and loosen the paper film until you can grasp it. Pull it off and discard, then chop the pepperoni into chunks for the Italian pasta salad.
• Be sure to cut the broccoli florets into bite-sized chunks. If they’re smaller, they’ll be easier to eat. I recommend your pieces be no more than 1″.
• You can use a large chunk of fresh mozzarella cut into small pieces, but some places sell mini mozzarella “pearls” that are already bite-sized. That’s what I used here. Be sure to pat the mozzarella cheese dry with paper towels before adding it to the salad to help the antipasto dressing cling.

I love pasta salads like this one because they’re open to many swaps and additions based on the ingredients you have on hand. Feel free to experiment.

Variations:

• Instead of pasta salad with pepperoni, try chunks of Italian salami.
• Add marinated artichoke hearts, cut into 1/2″ pieces.
• Don’t want to make salad dressing? Use your favorite Italian dressing for the antipasto pasta salad.
• Swap fresh diced bell pepper for sweeter bits of roasted red pepper.
• Swap red wine vinegar for the lemon in the antipasto dressing recipe and add ½ teaspoon of dried oregano..
• If you don’t have kalamata olives, use plain black olives, well drained. They’re not as flavorful, but will work in a pinch.
• Add chunks of provolone cheese and sprinkle with fresh parmesan instead of fresh mozzarella.

A homemade Italian dressing will add a ton of flavor to the antipasto salad. This is based on my simple lemon vinaigrette (the one I use to add a zingy pop to pasta salads and green salads alike). Keep it in your back pocket as your secret weapon to defeat boring salads.

I add a little of the pepperoncini juice from the jar of peppers to enhance the briny flavors and tie the zesty Italian pasta salad together.

For antipasto salad dressing:

1. In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, dijon mustard, olive oil, pepeproncini juice, salt and pepper.
2. Whisk until the dressing is emulsified.

FAQ’s

6 mistakes to avoid when making pasta salad

1. Have a large pot of salted water to cook the pasta in. There should be plenty of water, so the noodles can move.
2. Avoid overcooking the pasta. It should be al dente (to the tooth).
3. Ensure the pasta has cooled to room temperature before adding it to the other ingredients and dressing it. The hot pasta will melt the cheese, cook the veg and absorb too much dressing. Yuck.
4. Avoid overdressing the pasta salad. Cooked pasta will absorb dressing like a sponge. Use just enough to give it flavor without overpowering the recipe.
5. Using the wrong shape of pasta. Look for small, bite-sized pasta that will collect some ingredients in the nooks and crannies. Avoid long, thin noodles like spaghetti and stick with rigatoni, rotini, farfalle, orecchiette, and mini bow tie pasta. Orzo and elbow macaroni will work too.
6. Not having the right ratio of pasta to vegetables, cheese, meats etc. You want about equal portions of noodles and the salad fixings.

More Italian salad recipes:

• Tangy Italian Black Rice Salad
• Italian Wild Rice Salad
• Summer Italian Bean Salad with Farro & Mozzarella
• Green Bean Ciliegine Salad

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