This Italian Grinder Pasta Salad is a take on the viral Tiktok grinder sandwiches. All the flavors and textures you love in a grinder sandwich, in pasta salad form!
I truly love a good pasta salad and this recipe is so flavorful and packed with salami, mozzarella, and all the pickled things. The creamy homemade Italian dressing absolutely makes this pasta salad. Make this Italian grinder pasta salad for any summer backyard BBQs and parties!
Table of Contents
Your Favorite Sub Sandwich, as a Pasta Salad!
If you’ve been hanging around Tiktok at all, you probably saw the viral Italian grinder sandwich trend. ‘Grinder’ salad refers to the dressed iceberg salad made with onion, oregano, pepperoncini, and a creamy mayo dressing that tops a classic Italian sub.
I am very into Italian sandwiches and subs (as is evidenced by my Giant Italian Picnic Sub) and so using those flavors in a pasta salad recipe was a no brainer!
This Italian grinder pasta salad needs a place at your next party or gathering! It’s the pasta salad recipe that always has my guests begging for the recipe — perfect for all occasions.
Gather These Ingredients
- Pasta. I am absolutely obsessed with vesuvio/trottole pasta (pictures in the recipe images). It’s twisty, fun to eat, and the little nooks and crannies are perfect for hanging onto the dressing. However, you can also use cavatappi, lumache/shellbows, or fusilli.
- Creamy dressing. Mayo, dijon, red wine vinegar, oregano, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper make the delicious and easy dressing for this Italian grinder pasta salad recipe.
- Roasted red peppers. I love the flavor that roasted red peppers add. I used jarred peppers, but you can roast your own.
- Pickled peppers. A combination of chopped pepperoncini and pickled teardrop peppers (Peruvian peppers) add the perfect balance of acidity and a bit of spice.
- Onion. I love using very thinly sliced red onion that I soak in cold water for 5 minutes to remove any hot onion flavor. You can use any onion here.
- Salami. I like using a couple of different varieties here like soppressata and a peppery salami.
- Mozzarella. I use mini mozzarella like ciliegini, but you can use a large ball of fresh mozzarella and dice it up.
- Tomatoes. I like using cherry tomatoes here, but any diced tomato will do. Fresh is best!
- Fresh basil. Fresh basil adds so much flavor here, don’t skip it!
Tools You’ll Need
Making This Italian Grinder Pasta Salad in 3 Steps
Make-ahead option: This recipe is so easy to make and only gets better as it sits. If you plan to make it ahead, I would leave out the lettuce and add it just before serving.
- Boil the pasta. The trick to making a really good pasta salad is to cook the pasta just until it’s al dente. It will seem a little chewy at first, but remember that it will soften further as it sits in the creamy dressing!
Jenny’s Tip: This is just about the only occasion that pasta should be rinsed! In any hot dish, pasta should not be rinsed so that the sauce clings to the pasta. However, in pasta salad, rinsing the pasta cools it down and keeps it from being sticky which could result in clumpy pasta salad.
- Make the dressing. I like to whisk together the creamy dressing in the same bowl I’ll be assembling the pasta salad in. One less dirty dish to clean this way!
- Assemble the pasta salad. This is a hearty pasta salad that requires some elbow grease to toss together. Cover the bowl and pop it into the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
What to Serve with This Pasta Salad
This mozzarella and salami-laden pasta salad recipe makes THE perfect side for just about every gathering or cook out. But what should you serve alongside it?
Here are my favorite mains for serving with pasta salad:
- Steakhouse Burgers
- Banh Mi Hot Dogs
- Grilled Tri-Tip
- Beer Can Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Wings
- Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Storage Instructions
This pasta salad is actually best made at least a couple of hours ahead of time so the flavors have a chance to meld.
If you have leftovers, they’re easy to keep and store. Store the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. If the pasta seems a little dry, stir in a bit more mayo, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.
This Italian grinder-inspired pasta salad is everything you love about an Italian sub in pasta salad form! It’s perfect for any backyard bbq and pairs perfectly with so many different foods. If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below.
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More Easy Pasta Salads You’ll Adore
- Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad
- Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Hawaiian-Style Mac Salad
- Caprese Orzo Salad
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Italian Grinder Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Creamy Italian Dressing:
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Pasta Salad:
- 16 oz short pasta (like vesuvio/trottole)
- 2/3 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pickled teardrop (Peruvian) peppers
- 1/2 cup chopped pepperoncini peppers
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 oz salami, diced
- 8 oz mini mozzarella balls, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped basil leaves
Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water.
- Soak the onions. This is an optional step, but I find that it takes some of the raw onion heat away. Soak the thinly sliced red onions in very cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Mix the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, dijon, red wine vinegar, oregano, sugar, salt, pepper, and olive oil together until smooth.
- Mix the pasta salad. Mix the onion, salami, red peppers, pepperoncini, pickled peppers, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella into the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the pasta and fresh basil and toss well to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Rate & Review This Recipe
This pasta salad disappeared quickly. I didn’t have any Peruvian peppers so I just used more pepperoncini, because I love them.