Description
Savory Mediterranean magic unfolds in this Italian pasta salad, blending colorful vegetables, tangy herbs, and perfectly al dente pasta. Crisp ingredients and zesty dressing create a refreshing summer dish that invites you to savor each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 500 g / 1 lb penne pasta
- 250 g / 8 oz rotini pasta
Vegetables
- 200 g / 7 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 1 medium cucumber
- 100 g / 3.5 oz black olives
Protein and Cheese
- 150 g / 5 oz salami, diced
- 150 g / 5 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
- 100 g / 3.5 oz parmesan cheese, grated
Dressing
- 120 ml / 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 60 ml / 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Cook penne and rotini pasta simultaneously until al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Drain pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water to halt cooking process, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Chop cherry tomatoes into halves, dice red onion and green bell pepper into uniform small pieces, slice cucumber into thin rounds, and quarter black olives.
- Cut salami into small cubes and dice mozzarella cheese into bite-sized chunks.
- Mince garlic cloves finely for the dressing preparation.
- Whisk extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper in a separate bowl until well combined.
- Add chopped vegetables, salami, mozzarella, and black olives to the cooled pasta.
- Pour prepared dressing over the pasta mixture and gently toss to ensure even coating.
- Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top just before serving.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld together, then serve chilled.
Notes
- Cooking pasta perfectly requires precise timing to achieve the ideal al dente texture, ensuring it’s tender yet firm to the bite.
- Rinsing pasta with cold water stops the cooking process and prevents clumping, creating a cleaner and more refreshing pasta salad.
- Chilling the salad allows flavors to develop and intensify, making the dish more delicious and letting the dressing fully coat each ingredient.
- For a lighter version, swap salami with grilled chicken or skip meat entirely to create a vegetarian-friendly option that’s equally tasty.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg