Antipasto Pasta Salad is simple to put together, pretty to present and oh so flavorful. With marinated vegetables, cheeses, meats, and pasta all tossed in a homemade Italian dressing it is the perfect combination of flavors.
Summer is not the same without pasta salad! And this version is the perfect side dish to any entrée, whether it’s oven baked chicken breasts or barbecue!
What Is Antipasto?
Typically, antipasto is the first course of a formal Italian meal. Usually, marinated vegetables, cheeses, mushrooms, and meats are arranged on a plate so guests can help themselves.
In this antipasto pasta salad, we use pasta as a base for all the other ingredients so it can be served as a side dish or even as an entrée. Mangia!
As Easy As 1,2,3…
Making this antipasto pasta salad is truly easy.
- Pasta: Cook pasta ‘al dente‘ and rinse under cold water. Al dente means ‘to the bite’, just a little undercooked so it holds up after being added to the other ingredients.
- Dressing: Combine the dressing ingredients or use a bottled Italian dressing.
- Combine: Toss together the pasta with remaining ingredients and toss with dressing.
Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. This allows all the flavors to blend.
Can You Make Antipasto Salad in Advance?
Absolutely! This is one of the best side dishes to make in advance and it will stay crisp and flavorful!
Keep it covered in the refrigerator and stir before serving. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and it’s as good as new!
Serve It With:
Antipasto Pasta Salad goes with everything. Or it can stand alone because all the food groups are represented here (or top it with grilled chicken if you’d like).
For a summer-evening entrée serve with a nice slice of crusty garlic bread. As a side dish, it pairs perfectly with any kind of meat.
More Perfect Pasta Salads
- Italian Pasta Salad – ready in 20 mins!
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad – Reader favorite!
- Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad – 5 ingredient creamy dressing
- Pesto Pasta Salad – favorite for a summer picnic or barbecue
- Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad – packed with flavor, color, and texture!
- Easy Pasta Salad Recipe – perfect side dish or main course!
Did you love this Antipasto Pasta Salad? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
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Antipasto Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is a fun and flavorful combination of marinated vegetables, cheeses, meats, and pasta! Perfect as a side dish or an entree on its own.
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 6
Author Holly Nilsson
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 6 ounces jar marinated artichoke hearts quartered & drained (reserve juices*)
- ⅓ cup sliced red onion
- ½ cup olives green, black or a mixture
- 4 ounces sliced salami halved
- 8 ounces bocconcini
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Dressing
- 1 cup bottled Italian dressing
or
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil or use some of the reserved olive oil from the artichoke hearts
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain well.
Combine all dressing ingredient in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Nutritional information is calculated using homemade dressing.
5 from 132 votes
Nutrition Information
Calories: 486 | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 750mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 805IU | Vitamin C: 25.5mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 1.8mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Salad
Cuisine Italian
© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Categories:
Pasta Salad, Recipes, Side Dishes
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About the author
Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
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