Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
This Grinder Pasta Salad is a next level version of the viral Italian grinder salad that will make all other pasta salads seem subpar. Loaded with salami, provolone, pepperoni, crunchy vegetables and a creamy parmesan dressing, this dish will be the one that everyone raves about at the BBQ and begs for the recipe. Ready in about 30 minutes and the perfect side for any grill out or warm weather dinner!
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Salad
- 12 oz short pasta rotini, fusilli, etc.
- 4-5 oz shredded iceberg lettuce
- ½ red onion very thin sliced
- 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes quartered
- 1 cup banana peppers chopped
- 4 oz salami chopped
- 4 oz turkey pepperoni chopped
- 3-4 oz oven roasted deli turkey chopped
- 8 slices provolone cheese chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3-4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1-2 Tbsp banana pepper juice
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt more or less to taste
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to al dente cooking instructions on package. Drain and toss with very cold water to keep it from getting soft or mushy.
- While the pasta cooks, chop the vegetables, meats and provolone. Once the pasta is prepped, add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together. Adjust seasoning or thickness as desired.
- Pour 3/4 of the dressing over top of the pasta salad and toss well to combine. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, toss remaining dressing with the salad. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Texture and vegetable colors will be best in the first 2 days.
To prep in advance: You can make this salad a day ahead of time. I suggest following prep instructions as directed but not adding the chopped lettuce until closer to serving time for best color and texture.
Cook pasta al dente for best results. This will keep the pasta from falling apart or becoming too soft and mushy.
I like to chop the meats and provolone long and thin, as I think it makes the salad look more uniform and adds an elegant look. You can really chop the ingredients as desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 860mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 410IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 1mg