Chef Dean
Antipasto Tortellini Salad
Plump cheese tortellini tumbled with the greatest hits of the Italian deli counter, all glossed in a garlicky herb vinaigrette that improves as it sits. This is the potluck dish that comes home empty.
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Classic Italian Pasta Salad
Created by
Spiral pasta tumbled with crisp peppers, briny olives, and spicy pepperoni, all bound in a tangy homemade Italian dressing that improves as it sits. This is the dish that disappears first at every summer gathering.
Salads
Italian
BBQ
30 min
Active Time
12 min cook•42 min total
Yield12 servings
Every American cookout needs a pasta salad. Not the pallid versions drowning in mayonnaise, but something bright and assertive, a dish that holds its own against charred burgers and smoky ribs. This is that salad.
The Italian-American deli tradition gave us this formula: sturdy pasta shapes that trap dressing in their curves, vegetables cut for crunch, cured meats for salt and fat, and a vinaigrette punchy enough to wake up your palate between bites of grilled meat. The genius lies in its patience. Unlike green salads that wilt within minutes of dressing, pasta salad rewards the cook who makes it ahead. The flavors marry. The pasta softens slightly. What begins as a collection of ingredients becomes a unified dish.
The dressing is everything. A proper emulsion coats each spiral rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl. I'll teach you the technique that makes this happen: the slow drizzle, the vigorous whisking, the moment when oil and vinegar stop fighting and become something silky. Master this and you'll never buy bottled dressing again.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
rotini pasta
Quantity
1 pound
kosher salt (for pasta water)
Quantity
1 tablespoon
red bell pepper
Quantity
1
cut into 1/2-inch dice
yellow bell pepper
Quantity
1
cut into 1/2-inch dice
green bell pepper
Quantity
1
cut into 1/2-inch dice
black olives
Quantity
1 cup
sliced
pepperoni
Quantity
6 ounces
quartered and sliced
red onion
Quantity
1/2 medium
thinly sliced
pepperoncini
Quantity
1/2 cup
sliced into rings
fresh parsley
Quantity
1/2 cup
roughly chopped
fresh basil
Quantity
1/4 cup
torn
red wine vinegar
Quantity
1/2 cup
Dijon mustard
Quantity
2 tablespoons
garlic
Quantity
2 cloves
minced to a paste
dried oregano
Quantity
1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
Quantity
1 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
extra-virgin olive oil
Quantity
1 cup
Parmesan cheese
Quantity
1/2 cup
grated
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly cracked
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| rotini pasta | 1 pound |
| kosher salt (for pasta water) | 1 tablespoon |
| red bell peppercut into 1/2-inch dice | 1 |
| yellow bell peppercut into 1/2-inch dice | 1 |
| green bell peppercut into 1/2-inch dice | 1 |
| black olivessliced | 1 cup |
| pepperoniquartered and sliced | 6 ounces |
| red onionthinly sliced | 1/2 medium |
| pepperoncinisliced into rings | 1/2 cup |
| fresh parsleyroughly chopped | 1/2 cup |
| fresh basiltorn | 1/4 cup |
| red wine vinegar | 1/2 cup |
| Dijon mustard | 2 tablespoons |
| garlicminced to a paste | 2 cloves |
| dried oregano | 1 tablespoon |
| granulated sugar | 1 teaspoon |
| red pepper flakes | 1/2 teaspoon |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 1 cup |
| Parmesan cheesegrated | 1/2 cup |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly cracked | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Large pot (6-quart minimum)
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Whisk
- •Colander
Instructions
- 1
Build the emulsified dressing
In a medium bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic paste, dried oregano, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and everything is incorporated. The mustard is your emulsifier. It contains compounds that grab onto both oil and water molecules, forcing them to play nicely together.
Mince your garlic, then sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and use the flat of your knife to smear it into a paste. This releases the oils and distributes garlic flavor evenly throughout the dressing. - 2
Emulsify with oil
Begin adding the olive oil in a very thin stream while whisking constantly. This is where most people fail. They dump and stir. You must drizzle and whisk. The oil should enter the vinegar mixture so slowly that you question your own patience. As you whisk, the dressing will transform from thin and separated to thick and creamy. Once half the oil is incorporated, you can add it slightly faster, but never stop whisking. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it. The dressing should be tangy, slightly sweet, and assertive. It will mellow when it meets the pasta.
- 3
Cook the pasta properly
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add one tablespoon of kosher salt. The water should taste like the sea. Add the rotini and cook for one minute less than the package directions indicate. The pasta will continue absorbing liquid from the dressing as it sits. Pull it while it still has a firm center.
Rotini is ideal because those spirals trap dressing in every curve. Fusilli, farfalle, or penne rigate work equally well. Avoid smooth shapes like elbows. The dressing slides right off. - 4
Dress while warm
Drain the pasta but do not rinse. Rinsing washes away the starch that helps dressing cling. Transfer the hot pasta to your largest mixing bowl and immediately pour half the dressing over it. Toss thoroughly. The warm pasta absorbs the dressing like a sponge, pulling flavor into its core rather than just wearing it on the surface. Let the pasta cool for ten minutes, tossing occasionally to prevent clumping.
- 5
Add vegetables and meats
Add the diced bell peppers, sliced olives, pepperoni, red onion, and pepperoncini to the pasta. Pour the remaining dressing over the top and toss everything together until evenly distributed. The colors should be scattered throughout, not pooled in sections. This is where the salad becomes beautiful.
- 6
Finish and rest
Fold in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, and basil. Taste and adjust seasoning. The salad will need more salt than you expect. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably overnight. Before serving, taste again. Cold dulls flavors. You may need another splash of vinegar or pinch of salt to wake it up. Bring to cool room temperature for fifteen minutes before serving for the best flavor.
Reserve a handful of fresh basil and parsley to scatter over the top just before serving. The herbs that went in yesterday will have faded; the fresh ones provide brightness and color.
Chef Tips
- •The salad will thicken as it sits because the pasta continues absorbing dressing. Keep a small reserve of dressing to loosen it before serving. A tablespoon or two of the pepperoncini brine works wonders too, adding both moisture and tang.
- •For a heartier version, add cubed fresh mozzarella or provolone. Toss it in just before serving so it maintains its texture rather than becoming rubbery.
- •This salad travels beautifully. Pack the dressing reserve separately and add at the destination. It's been the star of more picnics and potlucks than I can count.
- •If you're serving a crowd, double the recipe. Pasta salad is the first thing to disappear at any summer gathering, and you'll want leftovers for lunch the next day.
Advance Preparation
- •The dressing can be made up to one week ahead and refrigerated. Shake or whisk vigorously before using, as it will separate.
- •The complete salad improves dramatically after 8 to 24 hours of refrigeration. The flavors meld and the pasta absorbs the seasonings. Make it the day before your cookout.
- •Dressed salad keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days. Add fresh herbs before serving to brighten the appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 138g)
Calories
485 calories
Total Fat
29 g
Saturated Fat
8 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
20 g
Cholesterol
31 mg
Sodium
440 mg
Total Carbohydrates
26 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
4 g
Protein
14 g
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