Italian pasta salad with meats (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For The Dressing
01 -
1 ¼ cup mayonnaise
02 -
1/3 cup Italian dressing
03 -
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
04 -
2 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
05 -
½ teaspoon salt
06 -
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 -
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
→ For The Salad
08 -
1 pound rotini pasta
09 -
1 cup fresh cucumbers, diced
10 -
1 1/2 cups juicy cherry tomatoes, cut in half
11 -
½ cup tangy pepperoncinis
12 -
1 cup good quality salami, cut into slices
13 -
1 cup pepperoni, cut into slices
14 -
½ cup pickled red onions or fresh red onions, cut into thin slices
15 -
1 cup creamy mozzarella pearls
16 -
1 cup crisp lettuce (romaine or iceberg)
# Instructions:
01 -
In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients - mayonnaise, Italian dressing, grated parmesan, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix until smooth and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
02 -
Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until it reaches al dente perfection. Drain and rinse in a colander with cool water to stop the cooking process.
03 -
Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl. Add the diced cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, pepperoncinis, sliced salami, pepperoni, pickled red onions, and mozzarella pearls.
04 -
Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta mixture and toss everything together until evenly coated. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, allowing flavors to meld.
05 -
Just before serving, gently fold in the chopped crisp lettuce and give everything a final toss. Serve chilled and enjoy!
# Notes:
01 -
This pasta salad can be made several hours ahead of time or even the night before. For best results, reserve about half of the dressing to add right before serving along with the chopped lettuce.
02 -
If you can't find mozzarella pearls, regular mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes works perfectly fine.
03 -
Pickled red onions add amazing flavor to this dish, but fresh sliced red onions can be substituted if needed.