Italian Sub Pasta Salad with Pepperoni, Salami, and Mozzarella
By Daniel Cho
Prep
15 min
Cook
10 min
Total
25 min
Servings
5
Level
Easy
I prepare this Italian sub pasta salad for lunch when I don't have time for a meal with more preparation․ Gemelli pasta works well with an oregano-based dressing․ Ingredients like lunch meats‚ mozzarella cheese‚ olives‚ and chili peppers add sub flavors to the pasta salad․ This cold pasta salad makes a good substitute for a sub sandwich for lunch․
The salad dressing is made with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar and contains minced garlic and dried oregano‚ sugar‚ salt‚ pepper‚ and Dijon mustard․ I prepare the salad dressing in a small bowl․ The Dijon mustard provides a flavor often associated with sandwiches and acts as an emulsifier in the dressing․ A single small clove of garlic provides a strong garlic flavor to the salad after it sits․
Cook the pasta until it's al dente․ Cool the pasta completely by rinsing with cold water and draining well before adding other salad ingredients․ Shake the dressing in its bowl before adding it to the pasta․ I don't like the texture of warm pasta salads because the pasta picks up more dressing․
I purchase a big salad bowl here to help prevent ingredients from falling out of the bowl when mixing and to ensure that vegetables are chopped small enough to combine with the pasta․ This salad recipe serves five and is appropriate for serving at a lunch table or enjoying a generous bowlful later․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Five servings would be enough for lunch for multiple people‚ including shared salad․
- The deli meat filling makes it a heartier meal‚ and fussy eaters may consume more․
- You prepare pasta in one pot and eat it in another bowl‚ so you don't have to serve it directly from a hot pan․
- Gemelli is a type of pasta commonly topped with mozzarella and other ingredients such as sliced olives․ It's not plain pasta․
- Pepperoni and salami give the salad a deli sandwich flavor, Other meats might be offered as a side dish with the salad rather than as a main course․
Ingredients
- •120 ml extra virgin olive oil
- •60 ml red wine vinegar
- •2 tsp Dijon mustard
- •1 tsp dried oregano
- •1 clove garlic (small, minced)
- •½ tsp sugar
- •¼ tsp salt (for dressing)
- •¼ tsp black pepper (for dressing)
- •350 g short-cut pasta (Gemelli used here)
- •125 g baby plum tomatoes (quartered)
- •125 g mozzarella balls (halved)
- •75 g pepperoni (cut into small pieces)
- •75 g salami (cut into small pieces)
- •75 g deli-style turkey (cut into small pieces)
- •50 g black olives (thinly sliced)
- •6 Guindilla chillies (thinly sliced)
- •2 tbsp fresh basil leaves (finely diced)
- •½ red onion (small, finely sliced)
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain it, rinse under cold water until completely cool, shake off the excess water, and transfer it to a large bowl.
- 2
Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a small mixing bowl until well combined.
- 3
Add the remaining salad ingredients to the bowl of pasta. Whisk the dressing again, then pour it over the salad.
- 4
Toss until everything is well combined. Rest for 10 mins or so before serving.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
697
Protein
20.89g
Fat
41.42g
Carbs
62.31g
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