Antipasto pasta salad is a colorful Italian pasta salad loaded with salami, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, olives, tomatoes, and pepperoncini tossed in a zesty homemade Italian vinaigrette. It's easy to make ahead, perfect for picnics, potlucks, BBQs, and summer entertaining, and serves as both a hearty side dish and a light meal.
If you love a classic antipasto platter, this pasta salad brings all of those bold Italian flavors together in one bowl. With savory salami, creamy mozzarella, crisp vegetables, briny olives, and tangy dressing, it's a crowd-pleasing recipe made for sharing.
Antipasto Pasta Salad Recipe Snapshot
- Make-ahead friendly - Even better after the flavors have time to mingle.
- Perfect for gatherings - Great for BBQs, potlucks, picnics, and summer entertaining.
- Easy to double - Use 1 pound of dry pasta for a crowd.
- Gluten-free option - Use your favorite short gluten-free pasta, such as rotini, fusilli, penne, or elbows.
If you love antipasto platters and salads, try them as antipasto skewers for a fun appetizer.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Pasta - Use regular or gluten-free short pasta. Rotini or fusilli are ideal because the spirals catch the dressing and bits of antipasto ingredients.
- Salami - Dice a small whole salami, or chop sliced salami into bite-sized pieces.
- Tomatoes - Use cherry or grape tomatoes for sweetness, color, and easy prep.
- Olives - Use Kalamata olives, green Castelvetrano olives, or a mix for color and briny flavor.
- Artichoke hearts - Buy water-packed quartered artichoke hearts, drain well.
- Mozzarella - Perline, the tiny mozzarella balls, are perfect and bite-sized, or use Ciliegine, halved.
- Pepperoncini - Add tangy, mildly spicy flavor. Buy whole and slice them yourself, or use pre-sliced.
- Herbs - Chopped fresh oregano and parsley add fresh Italian flavor and color.
- Dressing - Italian dressing is classic for antipasto pasta salad. Use my easy homemade Italian dressing recipe, or a good-quality bottled dressing if needed.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, and pepper.
Substitutions and Variations
- Mozzarella - If you can't find perline, use ciliegine and halve or quarter them into bite-sized pieces. Cubed fresh mozzarella works too.
- Other cheeses - Cubed Fontina is nice in place of the mozzarella, and provolone works well too.
- Roasted peppers - Use jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced.
- Tomato variation - Swap fresh tomatoes for chopped sun-dried tomatoes or roasted cherry tomatoes when you want a richer, more intense flavor.
How to Make an Antipasto Pasta Salad
If making homemade Italian dressing, make it while the pasta is boiling.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to pacakge directions.
- Drain pasta and toss with a few drops of olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt.
- Pour pasta onto a flat rimmed baking sheet to cool quickly, and reduce gumminess.
- While the pasta is cooking or cooling, halve the tomatoes, halve the artichoke hearts, and dice the salami.
- When the pasta is cool, combine everything in a large bowl and toss together. Be sure olives and cheese are well drained. If serving soon, toss with about ½ cup of the Italian dressing then herbs. Refrigerate until serving, then add more dressing as needed.
Make-Ahead Tip
Italian antipasto pasta salad is even better after the flavors have time to mingle. Make it up to 1 day ahead, but hold back a little dressing to refresh the salad before serving. Toss again, taste, and add more dressing, salt, pepper, or herbs as needed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve antipasto pasta salad chilled or slightly cool from the refrigerator. Serve it as a hearty side dish with grilled whole chicken legs, steak, burgers, baby back ribs, or enjoy it as a light main dish for lunch. Before serving, toss again and refresh with a little extra Italian dressing if needed.
How to Store Antipasto Pasta Salad
Store Italian antipasto pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it sits and may firm up after refrigeration. Before serving, toss well and add a little extra Italian dressing to refresh the flavor and texture.
For the best color and freshness, add the herbs shortly before serving if making it ahead.
Here's another great pasta salad, my Mediterranean pasta salad with cucumber, mint, and feta.
More Summer Salad Recipes
Summer is the perfect time for salads, and here are more recipes for your inspiration. Be sure to check out the Salad Recipes Index page as well.
If You Make This Pasta Salad
If you make this pasta salad, be sure to drop me a comment and let me know how you enjoyed it. I love hearing from you and your comments helpother readers too. Thanks for supporting my site!
📖 Recipe
Antipasto Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 5-6 quart pot for cooking pasta
- strainer or sieve
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fusilli pasta, gluten-free or regular pasta or other small shape
- 5-6 ounces dry salami (Genoa) diced or chopped
- 6 ounces Perline mozzarella drained well, save extra in the brine
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- ¾ cup quartered artichoke hearts in water drained well, chopped if needed
- ½ cup olives, black pitted Kalamata or green Caselvestrano or a little of both
- ⅓ cup sliced pepperoncini
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- ½ tablespoons fresh chopped oregano
- ½ - ¾ cup Italian dressing more as needed
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Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water, and spread on a baking sheet or large platter to cool.
Prep the antipasto ingredients
- While the pasta cools, chop the salami, halve the tomatoes if needed, drain and chop the artichoke hearts, slice the pepperoncini, and cut the roasted peppers into strips. Drain the mozzarella pearls if packed in water.
Make the dressing
- Whisk together the Italian dressing ingredients in a small bowl or shake them in a jar. If using my homemade Italian dressing, prepare it ahead of time.
Assemble the salad
- Add the cooled pasta, salami, mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, roasted peppers, oregano, and parsley to a large bowl.
Dress and chill
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to mingle.
Serve
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve chilled or slightly cool from the refrigerator.
Notes
- Cheese - If you can't find perline, use ciliegine and halve or quarter them into bite-sized pieces. Cubed Fontina is nice in place of the mozzarella, and provolone works well too.
- Roasted peppers - Use jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced.
- Tomato variation - Swap fresh tomatoes for drained, chopped, sun-dried tomatoes or roasted cherry tomatoes when you want a richer, more intense flavor.
Nutrition
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Porsche Guy says
Got this just in time for serving for a bbq on 4th of July and it was a hit with everyone. Never bought those little mozzarella balls and they were fun, worked great in the salad. A nice alternative to my usual pasta salad, will mae again.