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Easy Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad

Easy Italian antipasto pasta salad with deli-style cubed meats and cheeses, olives, pepperoncini, and peppers. A quick toss-coat method with Italian dressing keeps the rotini tangy and perfectly al dente after chilling.
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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 Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
Antipasto fillings
  • 8 oz salami
  • 8 oz pepperoni
  • 8 oz provolone cheese
  • 4 oz fresh mozzarella balls
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts
  • 0.5 cup roasted red peppers
  • 0.5 cup Kalamata olives
  • 0.5 cup pepperoncini
Dressing & seasonings
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Build the antipasto pasta salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the salami, pepperoni, provolone, mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives, and pepperoncini.
  2. Pour in the Italian dressing and sprinkle over the Parmesan and Italian seasoning, then toss until everything is evenly coated and glossy.
Chill and serve
  1. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld and the salad tastes cohesive.
  2. Just before serving, toss again and add more dressing if needed to loosen the mix and refresh the coating.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinsing the pasta with cold water keeps it from turning mushy and helps the Italian dressing cling without getting watery. Store covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; for best texture, refresh with an extra splash of Italian dressing before serving. Freezing is not recommended. For a lighter option, swap in turkey salami/pepperoni and use part-skim mozzarella and a reduced-fat Italian dressing.