Description
A vibrant and indulgent pasta salad loaded with fresh vegetables, savory salami, creamy cheeses, and dressed in the iconic Olive Garden Italian dressing—perfect for picnics, potlucks, or relaxed family dinners.
Ingredients
1 lb rotini (or short pasta like bowtie, penne, fusilli)
8–12 oz mini mozzarella balls or diced mozzarella
1 English cucumber, halved or quartered and sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
16 oz jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
16 oz pepperoncini rings, roughly chopped
⅓ cup diced red onion
6–8 oz Genoa salami, sliced and quartered
1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ cup freshly chopped basil
1–2 cups Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing
Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and cook pasta al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to chill.
- While pasta cools, prepare and slice mozzarella, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, pepperoncini, onion, and salami. Shred Parmesan and chop basil.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta with all prepared ingredients.
- Add 1 cup dressing and toss to coat. Add more dressing as desired. Season with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes or overnight. Toss again before serving.
- Top with additional Parmesan and basil before serving chilled.
Notes
- Omit salami for a vegetarian version.
- Use gluten-free pasta and dressing if needed.
- Add grilled chicken or pepperoni for extra protein.
- Stir in Dijon mustard or lemon juice for a zesty flavor boost.
- Salad improves with chilling—great to make ahead.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
