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antipasto salad on a platter, close up
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Antipasto Salad

Serve Antipasto Salad as a main course or as a side dish. It’s full of veggies, pasta, meat, and cheese that bring a taste of the Med to your table.
Course Salad
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Antipasto Salad, chopped salad recipes, pasta salad recipes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 997kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon shallots finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dried Italian Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Salad:

  • 8 ounces Rotini pasta
  • 15 ounce bag romaine lettuce torn into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 (10-ounce) container grape tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper julienned
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves julienned
  • 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
  • 8 ounces Mozzarella shredded or diced into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 8 ounces Genoa salami diced into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 1 cup green olives pitted and drained
  • 1 cup black olives pitted and drained
  • 1/2 cup Pepperoncini Peppers Sliced, and Drained
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.
  • Cook the Rotini (8 ounces) in well-salted water, according to package instructions. Drain well.
  • While the pasta is still warm, toss it with 1/2 cup vinaigrette in a salad bowl large enough to accommodate the finished salad.
  • When the pasta has cooled to room temperature, add the rest of the salad ingredients. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad, to taste, and toss well. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Notes

  1. Pasta – I like to use rotini pasta, but you can use whatever kind you prefer. I do like to use pasta that has lots of nooks and crannies to hold the delicious dressing for maximum flavor in every bite. Remember, cook in well-salted water until al dente.
  2. Add Some Heat: You can add some crushed red pepper for a little heat or a little sugar if you like it really sweet. Remember the Balsamic vinegar adds quite a bit of sweetness already and really balances out the acidity.
  3. Cheese: I use diced mozzarella in this recipe. Some recipes use shredded cheese instead, but I think dicing it helps to get it more evenly distributed so you have a “mini chunk” of cheese in every bite.
    • If you’re a cheese lover, you can add a little extra (or a lot), or even use a combination of two or three cheeses—I mean, really, when it comes to cheese, is it possible to have too much?

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 997kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 2269mg | Potassium: 538mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 7080IU | Vitamin C: 25.2mg | Calcium: 279mg | Iron: 2.9mg