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Antipasto Pasta Salad Recipe

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4.4 from 3 reviews

This Antipasto Pasta Salad is a vibrant, crowd-pleasing dish combining tender seashell pasta with savory Genoa salami, pepperoni, Asiago cheese, fresh vegetables, and olives, all tossed in a flavorful homemade Italian dressing. Perfect for picnics and gatherings, this refreshing salad is made ahead for enhanced flavor.

Ingredients

Antipasto Salad:

  • 1 pound seashell pasta
  • ½ pound Asiago cheese, diced
  • ¼ pound Genoa salami, chopped
  • ¼ pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
  • 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
  • 1 (0.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix

Dressing:

  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Gather Ingredients: Collect all the listed ingredients to prepare the salad and dressing.
  2. Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add seashell pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold water to cool it, then drain again thoroughly.
  3. Combine Salad Ingredients: Transfer the drained pasta to a large bowl. Add diced Asiago cheese, chopped Genoa salami, chopped pepperoni, chopped tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, chopped green bell pepper, and chopped black olives. Sprinkle the dry Italian-style salad dressing mix over the mixture and stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
  4. Chill Salad: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.
  5. Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, dried parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and ground black pepper until well combined. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.
  6. Serve: When ready to serve, pour the prepared dressing over the chilled pasta salad and mix well to evenly coat all ingredients. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For best flavor, allow the salad to chill for at least one hour before serving.
  • Make sure to thoroughly drain and rinse the pasta to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
  • You can adjust seasoning to taste, adding more salt or pepper as preferred.
  • Use fresh vegetables for the best texture and flavor.
  • This salad can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.

Find it online: https://cookedbysarah.com/antipasto-pasta-salad-recipe/