Italian Pasta Salad with Zesty Dressing

Name: Italian Pasta Salad with Zesty Dressing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) dried rotini pasta; 2 tbsp (30 g) kosher salt, for the pasta cooking water; 4 oz (115 g) hard salami, sliced ¼ inch thick, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 3 oz (85 g) sliced pepperoni, slices halved (quartered if larger than 2 inches / 5 cm); 8 oz (225 g) fresh mozzarella pearls (perlini or ciliegine), drained and patted dry; ciliegine halved; 1 cup (120 g) sliced black olives, drained and patted dry; 1 pint (about 2 cups) (300 g) cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 medium (about 1 cup) (150 g) green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; ½ cup (70 g) red onion, very thinly sliced, then cut in half; ¼ cup (40 g) pepperoncini, stemmed and sliced into rings (optional); ¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, torn or roughly chopped just before serving; ½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard; 1 tsp (7 g) honey; 2 large cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced to a paste; 2 tsp (2 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers; 2 tbsp (12 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; ½ tsp (1 g) crushed red pepper flakes; ¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender rotini tossed with salami, pepperoni, mozzarella pearls, black olives, and juicy cherry tomatoes in a punchy homemade red wine–garlic Italian dressing. It's make-ahead friendly and a reliable crowd-pleaser for potlucks, picnics, and cookouts.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 1 hr 15 min
Total: 2 hr 5 min
Makes: About 10 cups (8 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the salad
1 lb (454 g) dried rotini pasta
2 tbsp (30 g) kosher salt, for the pasta cooking water
4 oz (115 g) hard salami, sliced ¼ inch thick, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
3 oz (85 g) sliced pepperoni, slices halved (quartered if larger than 2 inches / 5 cm)
8 oz (225 g) fresh mozzarella pearls (perlini or ciliegine), drained and patted dry; ciliegine halved
1 cup (120 g) sliced black olives, drained and patted dry
1 pint (about 2 cups) (300 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium (about 1 cup) (150 g) green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
½ cup (70 g) red onion, very thinly sliced, then cut in half
¼ cup (40 g) pepperoncini, stemmed and sliced into rings (optional)
¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, torn or roughly chopped just before serving
For the zesty dressing
½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard
1 tsp (7 g) honey
2 large cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced to a paste
2 tsp (2 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers
2 tbsp (12 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ tsp (1 g) crushed red pepper flakes
¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground

Equipment (8)

Large 5-quart (5 L) pot
Large colander
Very large mixing bowl (at least 5-quart / 5 L)
Medium bowl or 2-cup (500 ml) jar with lid for the dressing
Whisk
Chef's knife and cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons
Large spoon or silicone spatula

Steps

Before you start

Start a large pot of water first. You'll prep the dressing and add-ins while it heats and while the pasta cooks.
Plan on at least 1 hour of chilling. The salad tastes best after 2–4 hours, once the pasta has absorbed the dressing.
Pat the mozzarella pearls and drained olives dry with paper towels so they don't dilute the dressing.
Use a 4–5 quart (4–5 L) pot so the rotini has room to move and cooks evenly.

1
Bring water to boil
- Fill a 5-quart (5 L) pot with 4 quarts (about 4 L) of water and set it over high heat.
- Cover and bring to a full rolling boil, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in the 2 tablespoons kosher salt once boiling.
- The water should taste like mild seawater.
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Ready when: Large, vigorous bubbles break the surface continuously
Tip: Salt the water after it boils so it dissolves quickly and doesn't pit the pot.
2
Cook the rotini
- Add the rotini and stir right away to prevent sticking.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–11 minutes, or 1 minute less than the package says is al dente.
- Bite one piece: it should be tender with a slight firmness at the very center.
- Pasta continues to soften as it absorbs dressing, so avoid overcooking.
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Ready when: Pasta is tender but still slightly firm at the center when bitten
Tip: Set a timer. Mushy pasta turns the salad gluey once it sits in dressing.
3
Drain and cool pasta
- Drain the pasta in a large colander and rinse under cold running water for 1 full minute, tossing with your hands, until the pasta feels cool, not warm.
- Shake the colander hard for 30 seconds to remove excess water, then let it drain 2–3 more minutes.
- Transfer to a very large mixing bowl.
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Ready when: Pasta is cool to the touch and no water pools in the bottom of the colander
Tip: Rinsing is intentional here. It stops cooking and removes surface starch so the pasta doesn't clump when chilled.
4
Whisk the dressing
- In a medium bowl or lidded jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, grated garlic, oregano, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Whisk vigorously (or shake the jar for 20 seconds) until the mixture looks thick, cloudy, and fully blended.
- Taste a drop on a piece of pasta; it should taste slightly too sharp and salty on its own, since it will be diluted by the salad.
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Ready when: Dressing is emulsified, thick and cloudy with no separate pools of oil
Tip: Grating the garlic into a paste distributes flavor evenly, with no harsh raw chunks.
5
Prep the add-ins
- Cut the salami into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces.
- Halve the pepperoni slices (quarter any larger than 2 inches / 5 cm).
- Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the bell pepper, and slice the red onion very thinly, then halve the slices.
- Drain and pat dry the mozzarella pearls and sliced olives, halving any mozzarella larger than a marble.
- Slice the pepperoncini, if using.
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Ready when: All pieces are roughly bite-sized, ½ inch (1.25 cm) or smaller
Tip: Pat wet ingredients dry. Excess brine and water dilute the dressing and make the salad watery.
6
Dress the pasta
- Re-whisk or shake the dressing, then pour about two-thirds of it (roughly ½ cup / 120 ml) over the cooled pasta.
- Toss thoroughly for 1 minute so every spiral is lightly coated.
- Let the pasta sit for 15 minutes so it absorbs the dressing's flavor.
- Reserve the remaining dressing.
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Ready when: Pasta looks glossy and evenly coated, with little dressing pooling at the bottom
Tip: Dressing the pasta first, before adding other ingredients, seasons it from the inside.
7
Fold in the mix-ins
- Add the salami, pepperoni, mozzarella, olives, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and pepperoncini (if using) to the bowl.
- Fold gently with a large spoon or spatula for about 1 minute, scooping from the bottom, until everything is evenly distributed.
- Don't stir aggressively or the tomatoes will burst.
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Ready when: Meats, cheese, and vegetables are evenly spread through the pasta
8
Chill the salad
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours for the best flavor.
- The flavors meld and the salad becomes cold and refreshing.
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Ready when: Salad is fully cold throughout, and the pasta has absorbed most of the dressing
Tip: Don't skip the chill. Served warm, the salad tastes oily and flat.
9
Refresh and serve
- Remove the salad from the fridge.
- The pasta will have absorbed some dressing, so drizzle in the reserved dressing, starting with half, and toss gently.
- Taste and add more dressing, a pinch of salt, or a splash of red wine vinegar as needed.
- Fold in the torn basil, then serve in a large bowl while still cold.
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Ready when: Salad looks glossy and tastes bright and tangy, not dry
Tip: Add the basil at the last minute so it stays bright green and doesn't blacken in the acid.

Good to know

Tips

Rinse the pasta in cold water. Unlike a hot pasta dish, a cold salad benefits from removing surface starch, which keeps the spirals from clumping.
Always taste and adjust right before serving. Chilled food dulls flavors, so cold salads often need an extra pinch of salt or splash of vinegar.
Dress the pasta in two stages (before and after chilling). This keeps the salad from going dry as the pasta absorbs liquid.
For a milder dressing, cut the red pepper flakes in half or leave them out. For more zing, add the pepperoncini and 1 tablespoon of their brine.

Make ahead

Make the salad through step 8 up to 1 day ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge. Hold back the basil and the reserved dressing, and add them just before serving. The dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in a jar in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature 15 minutes and shake well before using, since the oil may solidify.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir in a splash of olive oil and vinegar to revive it. Serve cold. Don't leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F / 32°C). This salad doesn't freeze well because the mozzarella and tomatoes turn watery and mealy when thawed.

Substitutions

dried rotini pasta → Fusilli, cavatappi, farfalle, or penne. Use any short pasta with ridges or curls to hold the dressing. Cook according to the package, minus 1 minute.
fresh mozzarella pearls (perlini or ciliegine) → Cubed provolone or ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes of low-moisture mozzarella. Provolone adds a sharper flavor and firmer texture. Use the same weight (225 g).
red wine vinegar → White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Both work at the same quantity; cider vinegar will taste slightly fruitier.
hard salami → Soppressata, capicola, or diced prosciutto. Use the same weight. Prosciutto is saltier, so you may want to reduce the dressing salt slightly.