Antipasto Pasta Salad Recipe

If you’re dreaming of a zesty, colorful dish that instantly becomes the centerpiece of any table, this Antipasto Pasta Salad is your new go-to favorite. Packed with vibrant veggies, savory meats, creamy cheese, and a bold homemade vinaigrette, every bite is a celebration of classic Italian flavors—easy enough for weekday lunches but impressive enough for a summer party!

Ingredients You’ll Need

This Antipasto Pasta Salad is all about quality ingredients and tempting textures. Each element—crisp lettuce, tender rotini, savory meats, and zippy veggies—adds its own flair, creating a salad that’s bursting with flavor and color. Here’s a quick rundown of what makes this dish so fabulous:

• Rotini Pasta: Its corkscrew shape captures all the vinaigrette and bits of toppings—plus, it holds up incredibly well for leftovers.
• Iceberg Lettuce: Adds a refreshing crunch and soaks up all the briny, tangy flavors underneath.
• Hard Salami, Capocollo, Dutch Ham, Pepperoni, Sopressata: This medley of cold cuts provides savory richness, a bit of spice, and true Italian deli flair.
• Bocconcini (Mozzarella Balls): These creamy little cheese bites add delicate flavor and a soft texture that contrast perfectly with the sharp meats.
• Parmesan Cheese: Cubed, not grated, for delicious, nutty pops of flavor throughout the salad.
• Marinated Artichoke Hearts: Their tang is a classic antipasto touch that keeps every bite lively and interesting.
• Castelvetrano & Kalamata Olives: A duo of buttery and briny olives amps up the Mediterranean vibes.
• Red Onion: Thinly sliced for just the right punch of sharpness without overpowering the other flavors.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Fresh and juicy, these sweet tomatoes offer bursts of brightness and gorgeous color.
• Roasted Red Peppers & Pepperoncini: Bring vibrant color, a gentle kick, and a touch of sweetness and tanginess.
• Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette: The heart of the salad—garlicky, herby, a little tangy, with just a hint of honey for balance. Way better than anything from a bottle!

Variations

The beauty of Antipasto Pasta Salad is how easily you can experiment with flavors, textures, and colors. Don’t hesitate to get creative—it’s endlessly customizable for your pantry and preferences!

• Pasta Shape Swap: Try farfalle (bow-ties), fusilli, or penne if you don’t have rotini—they all work beautifully and trap that delicious dressing.
• Vegetarian Twist: Skip the cold cuts and bump up the cheese, olives, and artichoke hearts for a meatless but still satisfying salad.
• Lettuce Lovers: Go for romaine instead of iceberg if you want extra crunch and a slightly earthier flavor.
• Dairy-Free Option: Omit the cheeses and add extra marinated veggies—sun-dried tomatoes, banana peppers, or even roasted chickpeas are fantastic.
• Flavor Add-Ins: Toss in garbanzo beans, sun-dried tomatoes, colorful bell peppers, or swap in provolone or gorgonzola for the mozzarella to put your own spin on this classic.

How to Make Antipasto Pasta Salad

Step 1: Prep the Vinaigrette & Boil Pasta Water

Get your biggest stockpot filled with water and set it to boil. While you’re waiting, make the vinaigrette—the star of this Antipasto Pasta Salad! Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian herbs, garlic, Dijon, honey, onion powder, salt and pepper to a jar. Shake with all your might until creamy and emulsified, about a minute and a half. You can use it right away or chill it for even more developed flavor.

Step 2: Cook, Drain, & Dress the Pasta

Once the water is bubbling, salt it generously, then drop in your rotini. Cook until perfectly al dente—usually about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse quickly under cold water (this stops the cooking and cools the pasta), then return to the stockpot. Here’s the magic: while the pasta’s still warm, pour in a cup of that gorgeous vinaigrette and toss to coat. Chill until completely cool before assembling your salad.

Step 3: Assemble, Layer, & Serve

On a big platter or in a giant bowl, lay down a bed of chopped iceberg lettuce. Pile on the vinaigrette-coated rotini. Then let your artistic side shine: scatter the cold cuts, cheeses, veggies, olives, and everything else over the top, tucking them around so every serving has a little of everything. Garnish however your heart desires, then serve with extra vinaigrette on the side for drizzling. Fresh, colorful, and totally irresistible!

How to Serve Antipasto Pasta Salad

Garnishes

Finish your Antipasto Pasta Salad with a flourish—think fresh basil ribbons, whole pepperoncini, or a generous shower of freshly cracked black pepper. A drizzle of leftover vinaigrette or a scatter of finely chopped parsley adds both color and a fresh bite. For a truly festive look, tuck in a few extra mozzarella balls or some edible flowers just before serving.

Side Dishes

This pasta salad pairs so well with crusty Italian bread, tangy garlic breadsticks, or even grilled chicken if you want to turn it into a full meal. At picnics and potlucks, serve alongside other Mediterranean favorites like caprese skewers, marinated mushrooms, or a big pitcher of lemonade.

Creative Ways to Present

For eye-catching presentation, layer your Antipasto Pasta Salad in a large glass trifle bowl to show off every colorful ingredient, or serve it in individual mason jars for perfect picnic portions. Skewer meats and cheeses for a fun twist, or pile everything high on a wide platter so guests can serve themselves family-style—it’s guaranteed to wow!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Transfer any leftover Antipasto Pasta Salad to an airtight container and pop it in the refrigerator—it’s happiest eaten within 3 days. Before digging in again, give it a good toss to remix the flavors, as some of that delicious vinaigrette may settle at the bottom. This also helps keep every bite vibrant and balanced!

Freezing

While you can freeze the vinaigrette-dressed pasta and even the meats individually, avoid freezing the fully assembled Antipasto Pasta Salad—lettuce, cheese, and tender veggies don’t thaw well and can lose their texture. For best results, freeze the pasta base and prep the topping ingredients fresh when you’re ready to serve.

Reheating

This salad is meant to be enjoyed cold or at room temperature. There’s no need to reheat it! If you’re mixing in chilled leftovers and want to take the chill off, let the salad sit on the counter for 15–20 minutes before serving. The veggies and cheese will regain their perfect texture and the flavors mingle even more.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

This Antipasto Pasta Salad is more than just a side—it’s an invitation to gather, share, and savor every vibrant bite. Whether you bring it to a party or just treat yourself to a flavorful lunch, you’ll fall in love with how easy, customizable, and downright delicious it is. I hope it becomes one of your own favorite crowd-pleasers!

Antipasto Pasta Salad Recipe

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• Author: Alvarez
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 16 servings 1x
• Category: No-Cook
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This Antipasto Pasta Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish that combines a variety of antipasto ingredients with a tangy red wine vinaigrette. It’s perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a refreshing summer meal.

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Ingredients

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For the Red Wine Vinaigrette

• 1 cup (250 milliliters) olive oil
• 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (4 grams) Italian Herb Blend or Italian seasoning
• 1 clove (4 grams) garlic, peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon (10 grams) Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) honey
• 1 teaspoon (3 grams) granulated onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Antipasto Pasta Salad

• 1 pound (454 grams) rotini pasta
• 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped (about 4 cups)
• 2 ounces (60 grams) hard salami, diced
• 2 ounces (60 grams) capocollo, diced
• 2 ounces (60 grams) Dutch ham, diced
• 2 ounces (60 grams) pepperoni, diced
• 2 ounces (60 grams) sopressata, diced
• 8 ounces (227 grams) Bocconcini (mozzarella balls), drained and rinsed
• 5 ounces (140 grams) parmesan cheese, diced
• 5 ounces (105 grams) marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
• 14 Castelvetrano olives, sliced
• 14 Kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/4 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 dry pint (283 grams) cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup (105 grams) roasted red peppers, sliced
• 2 ounces (60 grams) pepperoncini peppers, sliced

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Red Wine Vinaigrette While You Boil The Pasta Water

   Fill a 12-quart stockpot 3/4s of the way with water and bring the liquid in the pot up to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, begin preparing the red wine vinaigrette.

   Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian herb blend, crushed garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper to a pint-sized glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Place the lid on the jar tightly and shake the mixture vigorously until it emulsifies and looks creamy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Once the red wine vinaigrette is ready, you can use it immediately.

2. Cook, Then Drain And Dress The Pasta

   Once the water begins to steam, add 1 tablespoon (10 grams) of kosher salt to the cooking water. Stir the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, rinse under cold water, and return it to the pot.

   Add 1 cup of the red wine vinaigrette to the pasta, toss to combine, and let cool in the refrigerator.

3. Assemble, Then Serve The Antipasto Pasta Salad

   Place a layer of lettuce on a serving platter and top with the dressed pasta. Arrange the meats, cheeses, vegetables, and herbs on top of the pasta.

   Garnish with a pepperoncini pepper or fresh basil. Serve with crusty bread and additional vinaigrette on the side.

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Notes

• Replace the red wine vinegar with balsamic or other vinegars.
• Swap the rotini for various pasta shapes.
• Use pre-made vinaigrette if desired.
• Substitute iceberg lettuce with romaine.
• Add your favorite vegetables or omit any you don’t like.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 397 kcal
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 803mg
• Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 17g
• Trans Fat: 0.1g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 14g
• Cholesterol: 25mg