INGREDIENTS

For Vinaigrette

  • A half cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • A half cup of red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 3 cloves of minced garlic
  • Half teaspoon of salt
  • 1 tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning

For Italian Pasta Salad

  • 1 pint of halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 pound of fusilli pasta
  • ¾ cup of jarred roasted red peppers or grilled piquillo peppers
  • 1 cup of chopped salami slices
  • ¼ cup of Italian parsley
  • A half cup of chopped red onion
  • 3.8 ounces of drained and sliced black olives
  • 12 ounces of drained and halved, mini mozzarella balls

DIRECTIONS

  1. Take a big pot, add water to it. Now, put it on high flame and bring the water to boil. Take a spoonful of salt and add it to the boiling water. While the water is boiling, add the dried pasta. Stir the pasta while you add. You will have to cook the pasta as per the instruction that has been given on the package until it is al-dente. Generally, it takes six to eight minutes for this.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, you will have to prepare the vinaigrette. For this, take a small bowl and add all the ingredients of vinaigrette. Whisk it, so that it incorporates properly. Put the bowl aside.
  3. Take out the pasta from water or drain the water. Make sure that you rinse the cooked pasta using cold water. Put the pasta in a colander to do this. Shake the colander for getting rid of the excess water. Take a big salad bowl and add the cooked pasta to the bowl.

  1. Prepare the ingredients for the salad. For this, you will have to chop all the vegetables you want to put in the salad. Also, sliced up the hard salami. Now, take the bowl of pasta, add the tomatoes, red onion, jarred roasted red peppers or grilled piquillo peppers, parsley, sliced hard salami, balls of mozzarella, and olives over the pasta. Now, it is time to add the vinaigrette. Pour it on top of the pasta and vegetables. Toss to mix them well. Make sure that the pasta and vegetables are well-coated in vinaigrette. Season using salt and pepper as required. Toss it again and serve it in a small bowl.

NOTES

  • Remember, you will be able to taste the best Italian pasta when you give it time to sit. This way the flavors will be incorporated properly.
  • Thus, if possible make it a day or at least a day ahead.