Salami Pasta Salad
A bold and flavorful salami pasta salad with rotini, crisp vegetables, briny olives, and a punchy Italian-style red wine vinegar dressing that gets better as it sits.
Equipment
- Large pot - For boiling pasta
- Colander - For draining pasta
- Large mixing bowl - For tossing the salad
- Cutting board - For chopping vegetables and salami
- Chef's knife - For prep work
- Small jar or bowl - For whisking the dressing
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Airtight container - For storing or transporting
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini pasta - 340g
- 6 oz Genoa salami - 170g, sliced into halves or quarters
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - 150g, halved
- 1 cup cucumber - 100g, diced (about half a large cucumber)
- 1/2 cup black olives - 75g, sliced
- 1/2 cup green olives - 75g, sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers - 75g, chopped
- 1/3 cup pepperoncini slices - 50g, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese - 50g, freshly grated
- 1/4 cup red onion - 35g, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley - 10g, roughly chopped
For the Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil - 80ml
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar - 45ml
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes - optional, for heat
- salt and black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add rotini and cook according to package directions, aiming for 1 minute less than recommended for al dente.
- Drain pasta in a colander and immediately rinse under cold running water until cool to the touch. Shake well to remove excess water and let dry for a few minutes.
- Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, and optional red pepper flakes in a small jar or bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified.
- Cut salami slices into halves or quarters. Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, slice olives, chop roasted red peppers, drain pepperoncini, finely dice red onion, and roughly chop parsley.
- Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add salami, tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, green olives, roasted red peppers, pepperoncini, and red onion. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust dressing, salt, or vinegar as needed. Add Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, then toss gently once more to distribute throughout.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Before serving, stir well and drizzle with extra olive oil or red wine vinegar if the salad looks dry.
- Taste one final time and adjust seasoning, as cold temperatures dull flavors. Garnish with extra fresh parsley or Parmesan before serving.
Notes
- Don't skip the cold rinse on the pasta — it stops cooking, removes excess starch, and prevents the salad from becoming sticky.
- Use good-quality Genoa salami for the best flavor; avoid paper-thin deli slices that become limp.
- Season the dressing generously since pasta absorbs salt and acid as it sits.
- Hold back about one-third of the dressing and add it just before serving to keep the salad fresh and prevent dryness.
- Cut all ingredients into similar-sized pieces for balanced bites.
- This salad is genuinely better after a few hours in the fridge — overnight is the sweet spot.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Do not freeze this salad; the texture degrades significantly when thawed.
- For extended storage beyond 24 hours, keep extra dressing separate and combine at serving time.
- For transport, pack in a sealed container with an ice pack and never leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.