Antipasto Pasta Salad (Italian Deli Salad)
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My family goes crazy for this Italian Pasta Salad, and I love how easy it is to make ahead and stash in the fridge for later. It’s loaded with all my favorite antipasto goodies and can be made with whatever’s hanging out in the fridge or pantry. Feel free to use a store-bought dressing – no judgment here!
I like to whip it up on a Friday afternoon so we can snack on it all weekend. It’s even better the next day because the flavors really come together. No mayo, so it’s perfect for parties and potlucks, and it tastes great cold or at room temp.
If you’re into these flavors, try my Italian Deli Flatbread Pizza recipe, or my Italian Pinwheels.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!
Why you’ll love this
- Make ahead. Make this the night before or earlier in the day you want to eat it. Letting it set several hours or overnight is great. Don’t do it too much longer though, or you’ll have a soggy mess.
- Customize it. Add some grape or cherry tomatoes, or some red onion. Marinated mushrooms, too!
- Easy to make. Just boil some pasta and whisk up an easy dressing. And add the contents of your refrigerator door!
Try my Cheeseburger Salad or stick with the pasta and go with Tuna Pasta Salad, or my Southwestern Pasta Salad!
I have included step by step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Note: This highlights some ingredients. Full list is in the recipe card.
- Pasta. I use tri color rotini, but any short pasta will work
- Salami. This is the hard salami slices that are found in packages in the deli meat section of the grocery store. Mix it up with various deli meats, spicy salami or prosciutto are awesome in this.
- Mozzarella cheese. If you can find the little pearl sized balls, those are awesome. Otherwise, grab a ball of fresh mozzarella and chop it.
- Black olives. I buy these pre sliced and pitted. If you wish, use green olives.
- Artichoke Hearts. I buy the ones that are marinated.
- Sundried tomatoes. Again, these are in a jar, not the dried ones in packages.
- Roasted red peppers. I use marinated strips, but fresh red bell peppers are good too.
- Parsley. Fresh herbs are awesome in this. I like parsley or fresh basil.
- The homemade Italian dressing is olive oil, red wine vinegar (you can use balsamic vinegar), garlic, mustard, Italian herbs and salt and pepper. Feel free to use a premade dressing that you love.
If you are super into delicious salads, try my Street Corn Pasta Salad, Potato Salad, Dill Pickle Pasta Salad or Broccoli Salad. All great to make ahead!
How to make Italian Deli Salad
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
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Get prepped
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until JUST past al dente. Add a minute or two to the recommended time on the box. Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside to cool.
Chop the salami into slices, and halve the mozzarella balls (optional).
Make the Italian dressing
Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Alternatively, add it to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until well combined.
Assembly
Add the cooled pasta, salami (or pepperoni), fresh mozzarella, black olives, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, and roasted red peppers and fresh parsley to a large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat all the ingredients with dressing.
Refrigerate salad until needed. Stir thoroughly before serving.
Kylee’s Notes
I usually overcook the pasta a little so it’s nice and soft.
To really get the flavors into your pasta salad, toss about half the dressing into the drained pasta while it’s still hot. Then add the rest right before serving.
What to do with leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Give it a really good mix before serving.
If making ahead, save a little of the dressing to pour on right before serving.
Substitutions/Additions
Add thinly sliced red onions, grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, or marinated mushrooms to your salad.
Sliced pepperoni instead of or in place of salami works too.
Change up the pasta shape and style. Bow tie pasta (farfalle), penne, and fusilli (different to rotini – rotini is extruded into the corkscrew shape whereas fusilli is strands of pasta twisted into the spiral shape).
Some of our favorite salad recipes:
- Easy Southwest Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette Dressing. Black beans, corn, red peppers, jalapenos, cilantro and red onions feature in this easy to make pasta salad. With the addition of the lime vinaigrette… oh, myyyyyyy.
- Caprese Orzo Salad (Basil Tomato Mozzarella). An easy side, this salad combines tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil with a yummy homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Make ahead!
- Grilled Vegetable Salad with Tarragon Dressing. A spectacular, smoky charcoal-grilled vegetable salad, bursting with flavor, this is an easy side that you can make ahead or make with the family!
- Easy Italian Salad (from Spend with Pennies)
- Macaroni Salad (from Will Cook for Smiles)
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Antipasto Pasta Salad (Italian Deli Pasta Salad)
Ingredients
For the salad
- 12 ounces tri-colored rotini pasta
- 4 ounces hard salami
- 8 ounces mozzarella balls
- 2.25 ounces black olives
- 5 ounces marinated artichokes 1 cup
- 2 ounces sundried tomatoes
- 2 ounces roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup parsley roughly chopped
For the dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoons pepper
Instructions
Get prepped
- Boil the 12 ounces tri-colored rotini pastain plenty of salted water. Drain, and set aside to cool (run it under cold water to help that along.12 ounces tri-colored rotini pasta
- Chop the 4 ounces hard salami into slices, and halve the 8 ounces mozzarella balls (optional)4 ounces hard salami, 8 ounces mozzarella balls
Make the dressing
- Whisk together the 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Alternatively, add it to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until well combined.1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoons pepper
Assembly
- Add the cooled pasta, salami, mozzarella, 2.25 ounces black olives, 5 ounces marinated artichokes, 2 ounces sundried tomatoes, and 2 ounces roasted red peppers and 1/2 cup parsleyto a large bowl.2.25 ounces black olives, 5 ounces marinated artichokes, 2 ounces sundried tomatoes, 2 ounces roasted red peppers, 1/2 cup parsley
- Pour the dressing over the top and toss to combine.
- Refrigerate salad until needed. Stir thoroughly before serving.
Devour.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
All of those colors look so pretty! Perfect for a spring and summer salad! Thanks for the share.
Loved this recipe. It was tasty, easy to make and the is a request I bring to the next barbeque.
Perfect picnic salad is here, always loved a macaroni salad and this one looks so so delicious.
This antipasto pasta salad was a total
hit with my fam! It has now been requested for this weekend as well! Great recipe.