Go Back

Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad

Italian antipasto pasta salad with tender rotini and a punchy homemade Italian dressing. A classic antipasto-board mix—salami, pepperoni, olives, roasted peppers, artichokes, and mozzarella—tossed together and chilled for bold, tangy flavor.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad
  • 12 oz rotini pasta
  • 4 oz salami
  • 4 oz pepperoni
  • 0.5 cup black olives
  • 0.5 cup green olives
  • 0.5 cup roasted red peppers
  • 0.5 cup marinated artichoke hearts
  • 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls
  • 0.25 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  • 0.25 cup banana pepperoncini
  • 0.33 cup red onion
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley
Italian Dressing
  • 0.33 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp dried basil
  • 0.5 tsp sugar
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 large mixing bowl

Method
 

Cook pasta and rinse
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling, then cook rotini according to package directions until al dente, about 8–12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
Make the Italian dressing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, sugar, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes until evenly combined. Set aside while you assemble the salad.
Assemble the antipasto pasta salad
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled rotini with salami, pepperoni, black olives, green olives, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, mozzarella pearls, sun-dried tomatoes, banana pepperoncini, and red onion. Toss gently to distribute everything evenly.
Dress and finish
  1. Pour the Italian dressing over the salad and toss well to coat evenly. Fold in fresh parsley to finish.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour so the flavors meld. Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the pasta fully cooled before mixing so the mozzarella pearls don’t soften too much. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freezer not recommended due to the olives and fresh mozzarella. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat mozzarella pearls and a low-sodium salami/pepperoni blend, keeping the dressing the same.