Italian Pasta Salad
This Italian Pasta Salad with salami, mozzarella, cucumbers, and more is just the thing for all your summer picnics, BBQ's, and more! It's packed with textures and flavors, then finished off with an easy homemade Italian dressing.
Servings: 6 -7 servings
Calories: 545kcal
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup mini fresh mozzarella balls, whole or halved
- 13 grape, plum or cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced and seeds removed
- ½ cup olives (green, purple, or black)
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 10 ounces salami, diced
- 15 ounces cooked pasta (fusilli, rotini, or farfalle all work well)
- ½ cup fresh or roasted red bell pepper, diced
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions (al dente) by boiling in a large pot of salted water. Once done, drain and rinse the pasta in cool water in a colander to stop the cooking process. Let the pasta cool down completely or even chill in the fridge before combining with other ingredients. (We are going for a cold salad here).
- Make the dressing by combining the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, syrup, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper in a bowl or jar with a tight fitting lid, then whisking or shaking well.
- Prepare the veggies and salami by cutting them while the pasta is cooking and arrange in a large mixing bowl. Add in the rinsed, drained, and cooled pasta, then pour the dressing on top. Toss to combine and evenly coat everything in the dressing. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed for seasoning.
- This is optional, but we think this salad tastes best after chilling in the fridge for 1 hour and serving it cold.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the pasta. For pasta salad, it should be firm and not soggy. Cook it al dente according to your package instructions.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep well for up to 3-4 days in the fridge, but it's best the same day the salad is made. Toss again before serving. We do not recommend freezing.
- Salami substitutions: You can use other cooked or cured sausages in place of salami if you prefer. Cooked Italian sausage or kielbasa also work well.
Nutrition
Calories: 545kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 1468mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1060IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 3mg