Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

deli pasta salad by maggie

Recipe by
Maggie M
In The Kitchen, OH

We both love a good deli style pasta salad but have never been truly happy with any of them. So we took the best parts of some and added a couple of personal choices and came up with this one that has been satisfying a hunger for several years now. The thing I like best about this is you make it ahead and the longer it sits the better it tastes .. and you can truly make a meal out of just this with a slice of sour dough and a glass of wine !

method Stove Top

Ingredients For deli pasta salad by maggie

  • 8 oz
    dry spiral pasta - plain or tri color
  • 1 c
    cherry tomatoes - halved
  • 1/2 c
    black olives - halved
  • 1/2 c
    pimento stuffed green olives - rinsed and halved
  • 1 c
    thin celery slices
  • 1/2 c
    red bell pepper cut into 1" or less cubes
  • 1/2 c
    green bell pepper cut into 1" or less cubes
  • 1/2 c
    red onion slices
  • 1/4 c
    grated fresh parmesan cheese (use grated from bottle if needed)
  • 1/2 tsp
    dill weed
  • 1/4 tsp
    garlic powder
  • 6 oz
    cubed provolone cheese
  • 6 oz
    pepperoni slices cut into quarters
  • 6 oz
    salami cut into strips
  • 4 slice
    bacon cooked crisp then crumbled
  • 1 bottle
    your favorite italian salad dressing *****

How To Make deli pasta salad by maggie

  • 1
    Cook the pasta according to package directions; rinse in cold water and drain. Place in a large bowl and store in fridge while the next steps are being completed.
  • 2
    In a large bowl combine the cherry tomatoes, black and green olives, celery, red and green peppers and the onion. Stir to combine.
  • 3
    Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese, dill weed and garlic over your vegetable mixture and stir together.
  • 4
    Cut your Provolone cheese into cubes about 1/2", add to the vegies and stir to mix.
  • 5
    Cut the pepperoni and salami then add those and the bacon to the vegetables and cheese and give it a nice stir to combine and evenly distribute everything.
  • 6
    Take your cooled pasta from the fridge and add to the vegetable mixture in the large bowl.
  • 7
    I like to squeeze about half of the bottle of dressing over the salad for starters. Gently stir to coat everything. If everything is coated then pop a lid on the bowl and put in into the refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours.
  • 8
    *** NOTES *** For fun you can use tri color pasta or even a different shape like a Cavatappi, Campanelle, Bow Ties or even a shell. If you have a favorite recipe for a home made dressing then by all means use that. We prefer a brand called Ken's and we like the Zesty Italian because it gives just a bit more oomph and kick to this salad. This salad is best served very cold and after having rested in the refrigerator overnight.
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