Description
A forgiving, one-bowl pasta salad that combines rotini, cured meats, provolone, and olives with zesty Italian dressing. It requires minimal effort, tastes better the next day, and is perfect for meal prep or casual dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340g) rotini pasta
- 3 oz (85g) pepperoni slices
- 3 oz (85g) Genoa salami
- 4 oz (115g) provolone cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup (120g) black olives, sliced
- 1/4 medium red onion, finely diced
- 1 small can (14 oz / 397g) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 cup (240ml) zesty Italian dressing
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta and cook according to package directions, removing it 1 minute before fully al dente.
- Drain the pasta in a colander and immediately rinse under cold running water until cool to stop the cooking process. Shake well to remove excess water.
- While the pasta cools, dice the red onion, slice the pepperoni and salami, cube the provolone, drain and chop the artichoke hearts, and slice the olives.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, pepperoni, salami, provolone, olives, red onion, and artichoke hearts.
- Pour the zesty Italian dressing over the ingredients. Add red wine vinegar if desired for extra tang.
- Toss everything gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are coated in dressing.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
Do not skip the cold rinse step to prevent clumping and mushiness. Use full-fat dressing for best flavor. Taste before adding extra salt as the meats and cheese are already salty. Letting the salad rest in the fridge improves the flavor significantly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 12
Keywords: antipasto pasta salad, easy pasta salad, zesty italian dressing, meal prep, no-cook dinner, summer salad, rotini salad