Italian Pasta Salad

Easy Italian pasta salad loaded with fresh vegetables, mozzarella, salami, and tossed in a tangy herb vinaigrette, it's the perfect side dish for your next party.

📝 Ingredients

• 4 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 pound rotini pasta
• 6 ounces mozzarella cheese balls (halved)
• 4 ounces sliced salami (cut into 1/4" thick pieces)
• 1 cup baby tomatoes (halved)
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper (1/2" dice)
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper (1/2" dice)
• 1/2 cup red onion (1/4" dice)
• 1/2 cup black olives (sliced)
• 1/3 cup sliced pepperoncini
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon sliced basil leaves
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus 2 tablespoons)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cook the Pasta - In a large pot bring water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Cook pasta until slightly softer than al dente, about 9 to 10 minutes.
2. 2Drain the Pasta - Drain pasta, rinse with cold water until cool, about 1 minute. Thoroughly drain excess water and then add noodles to a large bowl.
3. 3Mix the Salad - Top pasta with mozzarella cheese, salami, tomatoes, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, black olives, pepperoncini, parsley, and basil. Stir to combine.
4. 4Make the Dressing - In a medium bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, honey, mustard, Italian seasoning, mayonnaise, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
5. 5Thicken the Dressing - Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, vigorously whisk until a thickened emulsified dressing forms. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired.
6. 6To Serve - Drizzle 1 cup of the Italian dressing over the pasta and gently toss until combined. Add more as desired or serve the extra dressing on the side.