Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

This Italian Pasta Salad is packed with fresh veggies, cured meats, cheese, and herbs, all tossed in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. In under an hour, I have a classic and flavorful salad that’s perfect for gatherings or easy lunches.

Whenever I go to a get-together, I am all about the side dishes. I want to try as many things as possible, and some of my absolute favorites are vinegar coleslaw and this delicious Polenta.

Italian Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is a cold Italian salad of cooked and chilled pasta with assorted toppings such as cured meats, veggies, cheese, herbs, tossed in a dressing and served. In Italy this is known as insalata di pasta or pasta Fredda. The beauty of this dish is that it can be tailored and altered depending on what’s in season and what you like.

There different theories about how pasta salad came to be, but in America this classic side dish became popularized during the early to mid 20th century. My version is extremely hearty and filling and I hope you get the opportunity to make it.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Pasta – Any pasta shape such as fusilli, orzo, farfalle, rotini, or penne can be used.
• Meat – I used a combination of mortadella, ham, and salami. Other meats such as pepperoni, prosciutto, summer sausage, and more can be used.
• Vegetables – I added cucumbers and pepperoncini to the pasta salad. Other great veggies to add are bell peppers, zucchini, squash, eggplant, etc.
• Tomatoes – I prefer cherry tomatoes, but fresh, in-season tomatoes will work.
• Olives – Any pitted olive is good to use in this dish.
• Onion – I used a shallot, but you can use a red, white, or sweet onion.
• Cheese – Mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano are amazing in this side dish. However, you can also use fontina, asiago, or pecorino Romano.
• Herbs – Fresh basil goes extremely well in this. You can also use dried oregano or marjoram.
• Dressing – Balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect dressing for this. Other options that would work are Italian dressing, ranch, lemon vinaigrette, or poppy seed.

How to Make Italian Pasta Salad

Cook the pasta: First thing I do is boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until it’s just al dente. Then, I drain it, toss it with a little olive oil so it doesn’t stick, and place it in the fridge while I get everything else ready.

Make the dressing: I whisk together the vinaigrette and set it aside until I’m ready to use it. I usually don’t end up using all of it, so I save the extra for another salad or quick marinade.

Prep the mix-ins: I slice up all the meats and vegetables and set them aside.

Combine the salad: I take a very large bowl and add in all of the pasta, meats, vegetables, and cheese.

Add the dressing: I spoon the vinaigrette around the outside edge of the bowl. That way, when I mix everything together, the dressing coats each ingredient evenly without breaking anything apart.

Serve the salad: I spoon it into a large serving bowl and top it with a few fresh herbs for a bright, fresh finish. It’s ready to enjoy right out of the fridge.

chef tip + notes

I highly recommend, for making this Italian Pasta Salad, tossing the pasta with a little olive oil and chilling it before mixing everything together. It’s something I always do because it keeps the noodles from sticking and gives the salad a better texture overall.

• Cook the pasta just right: I always cook the pasta until it’s just al dente. That way, it holds up well after chilling and doesn’t get mushy in the salad.
• Slice everything evenly: I try to cut the meats, cheese, and veggies into similar-sized pieces.
• Dress it gently: I like to spoon the dressing around the sides of the bowl instead of pouring it right on top. Then I fold everything together gently so nothing gets smashed.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this pasta salad with my roast spatchcock chicken, it’s a simple combo that works really well together. It also pairs perfectly with my classic Italian meatballs, especially when I’m making an easy dinner for family or friends.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this salad up to 2 days ahead. Keep all of the ingredients separate before serving.

How to Store: Store in a covered container for up to 4 days. It will not freeze well.

More Side Dishes

• Buttered Green Beans
• Guacamole
• Potato Salad
• Dinner Rolls
• Macaroni and Cheese

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Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

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5 from 18 votes

This Italian Pasta Salad is packed with fresh veggies, cured meats, cheese, and herbs, all tossed in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. In under an hour, I have a classic and flavorful salad that’s perfect for gatherings or easy lunches.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• 1- pound fusilli pasta
• 4 ounces sliced mortadella
• 4 ounces sliced ham
• 2 ounces sliced salami
• ½ seeded and sliced cucumber
• 1 cup assorted cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini’s
• ½ cup sliced green olives
• ½ cup sliced black olives
• ½ peeled and small diced red onion
• 1 cup cilliegine mozzarella
• 2 tablespoons chiffonade basil
• ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• ½ balsamic vinaigrette dressing recipe
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large pot of boiling salted water add the pasta and cook them until slightly crunchy or al dente, according to its package. Immediately chill the noodles under cold water and toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil so they do not stick and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• To Assemble: Add the cooked noodles, meats, cucumbers, tomatoes, pepperoncini, olives, onions, cilliegine, basil, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to a large bowl.
• Add the dressing 1 large spoonful at a time to the outside of the bowl and mix thoroughly using a rubber spatula so that the ingredients don’t break up.
• Serve cold.

Notes

I highly recommend, for making this Italian Pasta Salad, tossing the pasta with a little olive oil and chilling it before mixing everything together. It’s something I always do because it keeps the noodles from sticking and gives the salad a better texture overall.

Cook the pasta just right: I always cook the pasta until it’s just al dente. That way, it holds up well after chilling and doesn’t get mushy in the salad.

Slice everything evenly: I try to cut the meats, cheese, and veggies into similar-sized pieces.

Dress it gently: I like to spoon the dressing around the sides of the bowl instead of pouring it right on top. Then I fold everything together gently so nothing gets smashed.

Make-Ahead: You can make this salad up to 2 days ahead. It is advised to keep all of the ingredients separate before serving.

How to Store: Keep in a covered container for up to 4 days. This will not freeze well.

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 9gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 417mgPotassium: 151mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 117IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mg

Course: lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Author: Chef Billy Parisi