Description
Michael Symon’s antipasto salad offers a zesty Mediterranean medley of crisp lettuce, salami, provolone, and tangy pepperoncini. Refreshing herbs and bold Italian dressing mingle with salty olives, creating a perfect starter that will transport you straight to Italy’s sunny coastline.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Protein:
- 2 packages (1 pound each or 907 grams each) spiral pasta
- 1 pound (454 grams) thinly sliced Genoa salami, julienned
- 1 pound (454 grams) sliced pepperoni, julienned
- ½ pound (227 grams) provolone cheese, cubed
Vegetables and Beans:
- 4 to 5 large tomatoes, chopped
- 3 large onions, chopped
- 2 large green peppers, chopped
- 2 cans (15 to 16 ounces or 425 to 454 grams each) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup (150 grams) pitted ripe olives, halved
Dressing and Seasonings:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) red wine vinegar
- ½ cup (100 grams) sugar
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1–½ cups (360 milliliters) olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta quickly.
- Finely dice the bell peppers, red onions, and celery into uniform, small pieces to ensure even distribution throughout the pasta salad.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the chopped vegetables, ensuring a balanced mixture of ingredients.
- Create the dressing by whisking together apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a separate bowl.
- Gradually stream extra virgin olive oil into the vinegar mixture while continuously whisking to emulsify and create a smooth, well-integrated dressing.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture, gently folding to coat each piece evenly and thoroughly.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and intensify.
- Before serving, give the pasta salad a gentle stir to redistribute the dressing and adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Swap protein options based on dietary preferences or pantry availability.
- Fresh herbs boost the salad’s aromatic profile and nutritional value.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly in the dressing.
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly to remove natural bitter coating before cooking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 1145 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 1620 mg
- Fat: 95 g
- Saturated Fat: 27 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 67 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 83 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg