Spicy Italian Pasta Salad

With a light creamy dressing and flavorful add-ins like salami, artichokes and red pepper, this Spicy Italian Pasta Salad is a summer “go to” recipe. With a light creamy dressing and flavorful add-ins like salami, artichokes and red pepper, this Spicy Italian Pasta Salad is a summer go to recipe.

We’ve made a particular lettuce salad in our family for years. It’s called Spicy Italian Salad and packs a big punch of flavor from a blend of chopped salami, artichokes and homemade dressing. Mmmm! 

So the other day, when I was thinking about freshening up pasta salad, the notion hit me. What if I converted my lettuce salad to “Spicy Italian Pasta Salad”! 

Salad ingredients

I started with the salad ingredients, sans lettuce, then tossed in some halved cherry tomatoes (extra) Italian cheese and fresh basil ribbons.

Then I crossed my usual vinaigrette and the typical heavy mayo dressings for a creamy vinaigrette.

With a light creamy dressing and flavorful add-ins like salami, artichokes and red pepper, this Spicy Italian Pasta Salad is a summer go to recipe.

Served!

My family was in heaven since I don’t make pasta salad very often. The result was truly flavorful but without the heaviness of many pasta salads.

With a light creamy dressing and flavorful add-ins like salami, artichokes and red pepper, this Spicy Italian Pasta Salad is a summer go to recipe.

A small celebration

With picnic season coming up, having a nice pasta salad in your back pocket is important. And better yet, my “picky” daughter, now in her first grown up job, happily packed up a big container to take to work for lunch. 

Picky kids devouring the leftovers?  Now that’s a success story!

With a light creamy dressing and flavorful add-ins like salami, artichokes and red pepper, this Spicy Italian Pasta Salad is a summer go to recipe.

Time for a beer!

Spicy Italian Pasta Salad

With a light creamy dressing and flavorful add-ins like salami, artichokes and red pepper, this Spicy Italian Pasta Salad is a summer go to recipe.
Author: Inger
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 536 kcal

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 12 ounces pasta like tricolor small pasta like fusilli
  • 1/2 bell pepper diced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives
  • 3 Tablespoons basil julienned
  • 1 cup Italian cheese like provolone
  • 14 ounce Artichoke hearts 1 can
  • 1 cup chopped salami about 8 ounces
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese shredded

Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
  • 3 cloves garlic pressed or minced
  • 1 Tablespoon Oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon dried Minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to tate
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta until just al dente. Plunge into ice water to stop cooking.
  • In a large bowl, toss together diced pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced olives, julienned basil, cubed cheese, salami and artichokes.
  • Whisk together dressing ingredients.
  • Drain pasta, then add to salad ingredients. Add dressing and toss to combine
  • Sprinkle shredded parmesan curls over top and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 536kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 20gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 1450mgPotassium: 450mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 858IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 157mgIron: 2mg
I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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12 thoughts on “Spicy Italian Pasta Salad

  1. Hezzi-D

    I make pasta salad several times a month in the summer and always look for new recipes. My husband wold love this spicy version!

    1. Inger Post author

      I think the heaviness of the classic mayo pasta salad dressing was what kept me lukewarm about pasta salads. Now I’m going to have to play around more with them!

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