Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 17 minutes
• total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz. dry rotini pasta (or your favorite short pasta)

9 oz. hard salami, chopped (or ¾ cup presliced)

6 ½ oz. pepperoni, chopped (or ½ cup presliced)

1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained & quartered

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup olives, pitted & halved (kalamata, green or a mixture of the two)

½ cup pepperoncini, sliced

8 oz. mozzarella pearls

¼ cup red onion, sliced thin

⅓ cup fresh basil, sliced thin

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Salt & black pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package's directions then drain it and set the pasta aside to cool completely.

Make the vinaigrette. Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl or jar then keep it chilled in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Prepare your salad ingredients. Cut the salami, pepperoni and tomatoes , slice the olives and red onion and thinly sliced the fresh basil.

Mix & chill. Once the pasta is cool, add it to a large bowl with the rest of your ingredients and pour your desired amount of dressing over the top. Toss the salad until is fully coated. (At this point you can serve it immediately or keep it chilled in the refrigerator for 30 minutes - 1 hour before serving.)

Serve. Sprinkle shredded parmesan (if desired) and extra fresh basil over each individual portion and serve.