Italian Pasta Salad with Salami Recipe
A vibrant and flavorful Italian Pasta Salad featuring a colorful medley of fresh vegetables, savory salami, creamy mozzarella balls, and tangy sun-dried tomatoes, all tossed in a zesty homemade Italian dressing. Perfect as a light lunch, dinner, or a delightful side dish to complement your favorite meat, fish, or chicken.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 500 grams Pasta (cooked and cooled)
- 80 g Salami, chopped into strips
- 200 g Mozzarella Balls (halved if large)
- 8 Sundried Tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 Sweet Pepper, diced
- ½ Cucumber, diced
- 100 g Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
- 100 g Sweetcorn (tinned)
- ¼ Red Onion, diced
- 60 g Green or Black Olives (pitted)
- 4 tbsp Pine Nuts
- 3 tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
Dressing Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Olive oil
- ½ Lemon, juiced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning (mix of oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, sage, red pepper flakes)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook 500 grams of pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool it down completely. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, combine 5 tablespoons of olive oil, juice of half a lemon, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Whisk well to blend all the flavors together into a zesty dressing.
- Prepare Salad Ingredients: Chop 80 grams of salami into strips. Halve large mozzarella balls if needed. Finely chop 8 sun-dried tomatoes. Dice 1 sweet pepper, half a cucumber, and a quarter of a red onion. Quarter 100 grams of cherry tomatoes. Drain 100 grams of tinned sweetcorn. Pit and slice 60 grams of green or black olives. Chop 3 tablespoons of fresh basil. Arrange all these ingredients evenly on a plate for ease of mixing.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, place the cooked and cooled pasta. Add all the prepared salad ingredients including salami, mozzarella, vegetables, olives, pine nuts, and fresh basil.
- Add Dressing and Mix: Pour the prepared Italian dressing over the salad mixture. Gently toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated and combined.
- Serve and Garnish: Transfer the salad to a large serving dish or plate. Garnish with additional fresh basil leaves on top for an extra fresh aroma and appearance.
- Enjoy: Serve the Italian Pasta Salad as a refreshing lunch, a light dinner, or as a vibrant side dish to accompany meats, fish, or chicken.
Notes
- For best flavor, allow the pasta salad to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving to let the dressing meld with the ingredients.
- You can substitute salami with other cured meats like pepperoni or prosciutto based on preference.
- Use fresh herbs if dried Italian seasoning is not available.
- Toast pine nuts lightly before adding to enhance their nutty flavor.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be stored airtight in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Keywords: Italian pasta salad, salami salad, mozzarella pasta salad, summer salad, easy pasta salad, vegetable pasta salad, Italian dressing
