Best Pasta Salad Recipe
This best pasta salad recipe combines cooked fusilli pasta with fresh mozzarella, savory salami, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, and black olives, all tossed in a flavorful homemade Italian dressing made with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, red wine vinegar, and herbs. Perfect for a light lunch, potlucks, or summer picnics, this colorful salad is easy to prepare and packed with vibrant Mediterranean flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (pasta cooked separately)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 lb. cooked fusilli pasta
- 8 oz. mozzarella balls, halved
- 4 oz. salami, quartered
- 1 cup artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives, sliced
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, toss together the cooked fusilli pasta, halved mozzarella balls, quartered salami, coarsely chopped artichoke hearts, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced black olives until well mixed.
- Prepare the dressing: In a jar with a secure lid, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, finely chopped garlic, red wine vinegar, finely chopped fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Seal the jar and shake vigorously until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Season the dressing with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Toss pasta salad with dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta salad mixture in the large bowl. Gently toss everything together until the pasta and all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
- The salad can be prepared a few hours ahead and chilled for best flavor.
- Feel free to substitute salami with other cured meats like pepperoni or prosciutto.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the salami and add extra mozzarella or chickpeas.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to control the heat level.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten free.
Keywords: pasta salad, fusilli pasta salad, Italian pasta salad, summer salad, picnic recipe, easy pasta salad
Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/best-pasta-salad-recipe/
