{"id":"b5920924-b611-434f-aac4-c9e8aa6ea1b7","url":"https://recipestripper.com/recipes/b5920924-b611-434f-aac4-c9e8aa6ea1b7","source_url":"https://www.inspiredtaste.net/54071/italian-pasta-salad/","title":"Easy Italian Pasta Salad","ingredients":[{"text":"Pasta: Choose hearty pasta shapes like penne, fusilli, rotini, and farfalle (bow tie). They also have the advantage of lots of nooks and crannies, which trap the dressing and bits of cheese.","item":"Pasta: Choose hearty pasta shapes like penne, fusilli, rotini, and farfalle (bow tie). They also have the advantage of lots of nooks and crannies, which trap the dressing and bits of cheese."},{"text":"Red Onion, Tomatoes, and Basil: I love red onion for its bite and tomatoes and basil for their freshness.","item":"Red Onion, Tomatoes, and Basil: I love red onion for its bite and tomatoes and basil for their freshness."},{"text":"Salami and Cheese: I’m usually serving this to a crowd with kids, so I stick with milder/sweet salami, but feel free to swap in a spicy salami or pepperoni for some heat. For the cheese, we love salty Parmesan with tangy, creamy provolone, though fresh mozzarella pearls would also be excellent.","item":"Salami and Cheese: I’m usually serving this to a crowd with kids, so I stick with milder/sweet salami, but feel free to swap in a spicy salami or pepperoni for some heat. For the cheese, we love salty Parmesan with tangy, creamy provolone, though fresh mozzarella pearls would also be excellent."},{"text":"Olives: I used black olives in the photos, but feel free to substitute green olives or Kalamata olives. They all add a salty, briny flavor.","item":"Olives: I used black olives in the photos, but feel free to substitute green olives or Kalamata olives. They all add a salty, briny flavor."},{"text":"Italian Salad Dressing: This pasta salad’s dressing is inspired by our Italian dressing. It’s bright, herby, and far better than anything bottled from the store.","item":"Italian Salad Dressing: This pasta salad’s dressing is inspired by our Italian dressing. It’s bright, herby, and far better than anything bottled from the store."}],"instructions":[{"number":1,"text":"1Place the thinly sliced red onion into a small bowl and cover completely with cold water. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse well under cold water, and set aside."},{"number":2,"text":"2Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (see tip below). Add the pasta and cook until just tender with a slight bite, typically 6 to 10 minutes (check your package instructions for guidance). Drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop the cooking process and wash away excess surface starch."},{"number":3,"text":"3While the pasta cooks, make the dressing directly in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper until well blended and creamy."},{"number":4,"text":"4Add the cooled, well-drained pasta to the bowl with the dressing and toss thoroughly so that every piece is coated. Stir in the drained red onion, provolone, Parmesan, salami, chopped tomatoes, olives, and fresh basil."},{"number":5,"text":"5Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired. While the salad can be served immediately, it is best to cover and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the pasta to absorb the dressing."}],"date_published":"2026-10-30T00:05:40.649943+00:00","date_modified":"2026-10-30T00:05:40.649943+00:00"}