Italian Grinder Pasta Salad Recipe

This Italian grinder pasta salad takes everything you love about our Italian grinder salad — salami, provolone, banana peppers, and a punchy vinaigrette — and turns it into a heartier, potluck-ready dish with cooled pasta. It holds up beautifully for meal prep, travels well to cookouts, and tastes even better the next day.

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Italian Grinder Pasta Salad Recipe

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• Author: Janet
• Total Time: 30 min
• Yield: 8 porciones 1x

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Description

A heartier, make-ahead take on our Italian grinder salad — rotini pasta tossed with salami, provolone, banana peppers, and a tangy red wine vinegar dressing.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the pasta salad:

1 lb short pasta (rotini, penne, or farfalle work well), cooked and cooled

4 oz Genoa salami, cut into small strips or cubes

4 oz pepperoni, cut into small strips or cubes

4 oz provolone cheese, cubed

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup banana peppers, sliced (plus a splash of their brine)

1/3 cup black or Kalamata olives, halved

1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

2 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce (added just before serving)

For the dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon banana pepper brine

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and let cool completely.

2. Make the dressing. In a jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, banana pepper brine, oregano, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Combine the base. In a large bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the salami, pepperoni, provolone, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, olives, and red onion.

4. Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss thoroughly to coat every piece.

5. Chill. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, to let the flavors meld.

6. Add the lettuce and serve. Just before serving, fold in the chopped lettuce so it stays crisp rather than wilting in the dressing.

Notes

Slightly undercook the pasta by about a minute, since it continues to soften as it absorbs dressing. Add lettuce last, always right before serving. Taste and re-dress before serving if made a day ahead. Keeps 3 days refrigerated; not freezer-friendly.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: salad
• Method: No-Cook
• Cuisine: italian / American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1.5 cups
• Calories: 410
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 720 mg
• Fat: 24 g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 32 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 14g
• Cholesterol: 35 g

Keywords: grinder pasta salad recipe, italian grinder pasta salad, make-ahead pasta salad

Why This Recipe Works

• More filling than a leafy salad — the pasta makes this substantial enough to serve as a main dish
• Ideal make-ahead food — the flavors deepen the longer it sits in the fridge
• Great for feeding a crowd — easy to double for potlucks and cookouts

Ingredients

For the pasta salad:

• 1 lb short pasta (rotini, penne, or farfalle work well), cooked and cooled
• 4 oz Genoa salami, cut into small strips or cubes
• 4 oz pepperoni, cut into small strips or cubes
• 4 oz provolone cheese, cubed
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup banana peppers, sliced (plus a splash of their brine)
• 1/3 cup black or Kalamata olives, halved
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce (added just before serving)

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon banana pepper brine
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and let cool completely.
2. Make the dressing. In a jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, banana pepper brine, oregano, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Combine the base. In a large bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the salami, pepperoni, provolone, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, olives, and red onion.
4. Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss thoroughly to coat every piece.
5. Chill. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, to let the flavors meld.
6. Add the lettuce and serve. Just before serving, fold in the chopped lettuce so it stays crisp rather than wilting in the dressing.

Tips for the Best Grinder Pasta Salad

• Slightly undercook the pasta by about a minute, since it will continue to soften as it absorbs the dressing.
• Add the lettuce last, always right before serving — mixing it in too early makes it wilt and turn watery.
• Cut everything to a similar size as the pasta shape you’re using, so each bite has a balanced mix of ingredients.
• Taste and re-dress before serving if you’ve made it a day ahead — pasta tends to soak up dressing over time, so a small extra drizzle often helps.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you’ve already added the lettuce, expect it to soften somewhat by day two — it’s still tasty, just less crisp. This salad isn’t a good candidate for freezing.

Variations to Try

• Cheese Swap: Use fresh mozzarella pearls instead of cubed provolone for a softer bite.
• Extra Veggie: Add diced cucumber or roasted red peppers for more crunch and color.
• Protein Boost: Stir in a can of drained chickpeas for extra fiber and protein.

FAQ

Prefer it as a sandwich or bite-sized appetizer instead? Try our grinder sandwich recipe, grinder sliders recipe, or grinder dip recipe.