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Easy Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad

Easy Italian antipasto pasta salad with rotini loaded like a deli-style platter—salami, pepperoni, provolone, mozzarella, olives, and peppers. Cook-and-rinse pasta, toss with Italian dressing and seasonings, then chill until the flavors meld.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 520

Ingredients
  

rotini pasta
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
salami
  • 8 oz salami cubed
pepperoni
  • 8 oz pepperoni quartered
provolone cheese
  • 8 oz provolone cheese cubed
fresh mozzarella balls
  • 4 oz fresh mozzarella balls
cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
marinated artichoke hearts
  • 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts quartered
roasted red peppers
  • 0.5 cup roasted red peppers sliced
Kalamata olives
  • 0.5 cup Kalamata olives halved
pepperoncini
  • 0.5 cup pepperoncini sliced
Italian dressing
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Method
 

Cook and prep
  1. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and keep it firm, drain well.
  2. Cube the salami and provolone cheese, quarter the pepperoni, and cut the fresh mozzarella balls as needed for bite-size pieces.
  3. Halve the cherry tomatoes, quarter the marinated artichoke hearts, slice the roasted red peppers, halve the Kalamata olives, and slice the pepperoncini.
Toss and chill
  1. Combine the rotini pasta, salami, pepperoni, provolone, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, artichokes, roasted peppers, olives, and pepperoncini in a large bowl.
  2. Add Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, then toss until every piece is coated and glossy.
  3. Refrigerate for 2 hours to let the flavors meld and the salad firm up slightly for easier serving.
  4. Toss again before serving and add more Italian dressing if needed to loosen the salad.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta with cold water and drain very well so the salad doesn’t get watery after chilling. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the cheese and vegetables may soften and weep. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat provolone and mozzarella and a reduced-sugar Italian dressing to cut calories without changing the antipasto-style flavor.