Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
This Italian Sub Pasta Salad is a cold pasta salad made with rotini pasta, creamy mayo dressing, fresh veggies, and hearty deli meats like salami, ham, and pepperoni, tossed with a tangy, slightly spicy dressing.
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It’s a great make-ahead meal and salad side dish to bring to potlucks, summer BBs, picnics, and even family gatherings. It pairs really well with grilled chicken or garlic bread.
And if you love Italian-style salad recipes, you might want to try Italian Chopped Salad and Italian Hoagie Pasta Salad.
How to Make Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Boil the rotini pasta according to package directions.
2. Drain and rinse with cold water.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, pepperoncini juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, mozzarella, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, red onion, salami, ham, pepperoni, and lettuce.
5. Pour the dressing over everything and gently fold until well coated.
6. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving so all the flavors blend together nicely.
Serve & Enjoy!
Important Recipe Notes
- Cool the pasta completely before mixing. If it’s even a little warm, the mayo dressing can get oily or thin out.
- Rinse the pasta well with cold water after boiling. This helps stop the cooking and keeps the pasta firm for the salad.
- Chill time matters. Don’t skip it—the 1 hour in the fridge helps all the flavors blend together and taste even better.
- Slice ingredients small and even. This makes every bite balanced and easier to eat.
- Add lettuce last or right before serving. If it sits too long in the dressing, it can wilt.
- Make it ahead-friendly. You can prep everything a few hours early, but keep the lettuce separate until serving for the best texture.
- Adjust spice if needed. The red pepper flakes and pepperoncini give a little kick—use less if serving kids or prefer a milder flavor.
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp pepperoncini juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 lb rotini pasta
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 5–6 pepperoncini peppers sliced
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup red onion sliced
- 8 ounces salami chopped
- 4 ounces ham chopped
- About 20 slices pepperoni quartered
- 4 ounces shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Boil the rotini pasta according to package directions.
- Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, pepperoncini juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, mozzarella, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, red onion, salami, ham, pepperoni, and lettuce.
- Pour the dressing over everything and gently fold until well coated.
- Chill for at least 1 hour before serving so all the flavors blend together nicely.
