Description
Summer’s zestiest Italian pasta salad brings Mediterranean flavors dancing across your plate. Crisp vegetables, tangy dressing, and perfectly cooked pasta invite refreshing moments of culinary delight for your next picnic or gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) turkey salami, diced
- 5 ounces (142 grams) small pepperonis
- 4 ounces (113 grams) fresh mozzarella, diced
- ½ cup (50 grams) shredded parmesan cheese
Pasta and Vegetables:
- 16 ounces (454 grams) rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 pint (300 grams) grape tomatoes, quartered
- ½ cup (70 grams) sliced black olives
Herbs and Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons (8 grams) parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (8 grams) basil, chopped
- 16 ounces (473 milliliters) Italian dressing, bottled or homemade
Instructions
- Boil rotini pasta until perfectly al dente, then thoroughly drain and rinse with cold water to halt cooking process and prevent sticking.
- Transfer cooled pasta into a spacious mixing vessel, preparing for ingredient assembly.
- Incorporate robust turkey salami, miniature pepperonis, and briny black olives into the pasta base, creating a vibrant Mediterranean-inspired foundation.
- Layer in crisp green bell peppers and pungent red onions, chopping them into uniform, bite-sized pieces to ensure balanced flavor distribution.
- Gently fold in juicy quartered grape tomatoes, which will contribute bright, tangy notes to the salad.
- Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley and fragrant basil throughout the mixture, releasing their aromatic essence.
- Generously scatter shredded parmesan and delicate fresh mozzarella, allowing the cheeses to weave between pasta and vegetable components.
- Drizzle Italian dressing across the assembled ingredients, ensuring comprehensive and even coating.
- Delicately toss the entire mixture, promoting seamless integration of flavors and textures.
- Refrigerate the completed salad for minimally one hour, enabling ingredients to harmonize and develop a more complex taste profile.
- Serve thoroughly chilled, presenting a refreshing and sophisticated pasta salad.
Notes
- Chill the salad for at least an hour to let the flavors dance and blend deliciously together.
- Dice vegetables uniformly to ensure every bite has a perfect mix of textures and tastes.
- Opt for fresh herbs like parsley and basil to elevate the salad’s fresh, vibrant profile.
- Choose high-quality Italian dressing or make your own for a personalized touch.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, keeping the ingredients crisp and flavorful.
- Experiment with additional protein like grilled chicken or chickpeas for extra nutrition and variety.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg