Italian Grinder Pasta Salad Recipe
This Italian Grinder Pasta Salad has all the flavors and textures you love in a grinder sandwich, in pasta salad form!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 8 servings
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
You can easily make this recipe vegetarian by skipping the salami and swapping in other veggies like chopped artichoke hearts or grilled mushrooms.
Make this recipe dairy free by skipping the cheese.
You can also make this recipe gluten-free by using your favorite gluten-free pasta.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.25cupsCalories: 543kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 18gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 1104mgPotassium: 318mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 430IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 171mgIron: 2mg
