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Grinder Pasta Salad

Grinder pasta salad with rotini pasta, Italian deli meats, provolone cubes, and banana peppers—built like a classic grinder sandwich. Chilled with Italian dressing and vinegar for tangy flavor and a hearty, layered hoagie-salad texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rotini pasta
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
Italian deli meats and cheese
  • 8 oz salami Quartered
  • 8 oz ham Diced
  • 8 oz turkey Diced
  • 8 oz provolone cheese Cubed
Vegetables and toppings
  • 2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved
  • 1 cup banana peppers Sliced
  • 0.5 cup red onion Thinly sliced
Dressing
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 Salt To taste
  • 0.25 pepper To taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and rinse the pasta
  1. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to cool it quickly.
Build the salad base
  1. In a large bowl, combine pasta, salami, ham, turkey, provolone, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, and red onion, spreading everything into an even layer.
Make and add the dressing
  1. Mix Italian dressing with red wine vinegar and Italian seasoning until evenly combined.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until every piece looks lightly coated and glossy.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so flavors meld and the mixture firms up slightly.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, add shredded iceberg lettuce and toss again until the lettuce is bright and evenly distributed.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta with cold water and drain well so the salad doesn’t turn watery after chilling. Refrigerate in a covered container for 3–4 days; keep lettuce separate if you want extra crunch. Freeze is not recommended due to lettuce texture. For a lighter swap, use low-sodium Italian dressing and reduce added salt and pepper to taste.