Description
A vibrant and flavorful Party Pasta Salad featuring a mix of short-cut pasta, fresh romaine and radicchio, spicy salami, pepperoni, and prosciutto, combined with cherry tomatoes, olives, bell pepper, pepperoncini, fresh basil, and an assortment of cheeses. Tossed in a tangy and slightly sweet dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, fig preserves, shallots, garlic, and fresh herbs, this salad is perfect for gatherings served warm or cold.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 1 pound short-cut pasta
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1 head radicchio
- 6 ounces spicy salami, chopped
- 3 ounces pepperoni, chopped
- 3 ounces prosciutto
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup mixed pitted olives, torn
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup mini mozzarella cheese balls
- 1 cup cubed provolone cheese
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fig preserves (or 2 teaspoons honey)
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mixed herbs (basil, oregano, dill)
- Sea salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Chili flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, fig preserves, finely chopped shallot, garlic, and fresh mixed herbs in a glass jar or bowl. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Season with sea salt, black pepper, and chili flakes according to your preference.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the short-cut pasta and cook until al dente following the package instructions, usually around 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta thoroughly and set it aside while hot.
- Toss pasta with dressing. In a large mixing bowl, combine the hot drained pasta with the prepared dressing. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly, allowing it to absorb the flavors.
- Add salad ingredients. To the pasta and dressing, add the shredded romaine lettuce, chopped radicchio, spicy salami, pepperoni, prosciutto, halved cherry tomatoes, torn olives, chopped red bell pepper, sliced pepperoncini, fresh basil leaves, mini mozzarella balls, cubed provolone cheese, and shaved parmesan cheese. Toss everything together thoroughly to combine all the flavors and ingredients evenly.
- Serve the salad. The Party Pasta Salad can be served warm immediately or chilled and served cold later. It is perfect for casual gatherings and parties. Enjoy!
Notes
- Fig preserves can be substituted with honey if a less sweet flavor is desired.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make the salad gluten-free if needed.
- The salad can be prepared a few hours ahead; refrigerate and toss again before serving.
- Adjust the amount of chili flakes to make the salad more or less spicy according to preference.
- Add extra fresh herbs if you want a brighter herbaceous flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
