Zesty Italian Pasta Salad with Salami

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Zesty Italian pasta salad, served cold and loaded with tender pasta, fresh veggies, creamy bocconcini and spicy salami. Smothered in a bright homemade Italian dressing, it’s perfect for summer BBQs, picnics, family gatherings or a light, flavourful lunch.

a bowl of pasta salad on a table, topped with salami and vegetables.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Just like an antipasto platter, but in pasta form. Meet your new favourite summer salad!

Quick and easy to make – ready in just 20 minutes, this is such an easy recipe to throw together and is perfect for whipping up at the last minute.
Easily multiplied – easily double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd.
Adaptable – customise the salad to suit your tastes or dietary requirements. See the list of suggestions below!
Make ahead – cold pasta salad tastes even better the next day, so it’s perfect for making ahead of time.
The dressing! So easy, zesty and delicious. There is already so much to love in the pasta salad (salami, creamy bocconcini, fresh veggies), but the easy homemade dressing makes the whole dish come together.
Perfect for any occasion – like this vermicelli noodle salad and potato salad, it makes the perfect side dish for Aussie BBQs, picnics, Christmas celebrations, family gatherings or even lunch and dinner.

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

ingredients for Italian pasta salad, laid out on a table.

Dry pasta – use any type of small or medium-cut pasta that you love. I love to add vegeroni (tri-colour pasta) for colour and flavour, but any bite-sized pieces like fusilli, rotini (twists), bowtie, penne or pasta shells will work. These types have all of the nooks and crannies perfect for holding on to the dressing and chopped ingredients! If you require a gluten-free salad, swap for your favourite gluten free pasta like lentil or chickpea.
Salami – adds a savoury and salty flavour to the salad. I like to buy it as a sausage and cut it into small chunks, but shaved salami works too. Mild or hot can be used, depending on preference. You can swap regular salami for pepperoni or sopressata/sopressa salami, just make sure it’s a good quality one that you love to eat.
Tomatoes – cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes add colour, flavour and freshness. If you are making the salad ahead, leave the cherry tomatoes out until you are ready to serve, so that they don’t go soft.
Red onion – for texture and bite.
Kalamata olives – mild olives for saltiness. You can leave them out, if preferred.
Bocconcini – baby bocconcini are small mozzarella cheese balls soaked in whey or water. They add creaminess and texture to the salad. Bocconcini the size of small cherry tomatoes is what we need for this salad. Larger bocconcini can also be used, just cut them into small bite-sized pieces.
Parmesan cheese – use fresh parmesan and very finely grate it yourself (almost powder-like) for best results. Crumbled, marinated feta can also be used.
Parsley – chopped parsley adds freshness and colour. Use fresh parsley, where possible. Or swap for fresh basil leaves instead!
Roasted capsicum – marinated, roasted capsicum (bell peppers) add a bright, fresh and sweet flavour to the salad.

For the dressing;

ingredients for Italian dressing, laid out on a table.

Olive oil – the oil element of the dressing. Choose a good quality, mild-tasting and light olive oil.
White wine vinegar – a mild, clean-tasting vinegar that balances with the olive oil to make a lovely, tangy dressing. Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can also be used. I don’t recommend using regular white vinegar, as the flavour is stronger.
Lemon juice – you’ll want freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavour.
Caster sugar – balances the tang of the vinegar and lemon juice. I use caster sugar because it dissolves more easily into the dressing, but regular white granulated sugar can also be used.
Garlic – two cloves of fresh, crushed garlic for flavour.
Italian herbs – dried Italian herbs are used to flavour the dressing. Alternatively, use dried basil and/or oregano.

This dressing is super easy to make in minutes, but if you are short on time or prefer to buy your own, use a good quality Italian dressing instead.

Step by step instructions

Full recipe quantities and instructions can be found in the detailed recipe card below.

Step 1 – Make the dressing;

Place the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, sugar and herbs along with a little salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. Alternatively, add the ingredients to a large mason jar, add the lid and shake it well.

The dressing will separate as it sits, so give it a good shake adding it to the salad. You won’t need all of the dressing, but can add it to taste and then keep the rest in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Italian dressing in a bowl. A hand is whisking the dressing.

salad dressing being shaken in a mason jar.

Step 2 – Cook the pasta;

Cook your chosen pasta in a pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Immediately remove the pasta from the heat and drain.

Don’t overcook the pasta, as it will become mushy and lose its shape in the salad. Start checking the pasta a few minutes before the cook time specified on the packet and drain immediately when al dente (tender, but still firm).

Set the pasta aside to cool (I spread it over a clean oven tray to speed up this process).

Step 3 – Assemble the salad;

Place the cooled pasta in a large serving bowl with all of the chopped salad ingredients. Pour over ⅓ cup – ½ cup of the dressing (or more or less, to taste) and stir well, until coated. Taste the salad and add a little more seasoning, if needed.

all ingredients for Italian pasta salad, arranged in a bowl.

dressing being poured over pasta salad in a bowl.

finished pasta salad in a bowl on a table.

Expert tips

For a vegetarian option – swap the salami for cannellini beans, black beans, chickpeas or kidney beans.
Season the pasta. Add a generous amount of salt (around 1 tablespoon) to the pasta water. By salting the water, the pasta will be seasoned and overall, the salad will be more flavourful.
Don’t overcook the pasta! The pasta should be cooked to al dente (tender, but firm to the bite). As the pasta will continue to soften in the dressing, you don’t want to start with a mushy pasta. Start to test the pasta several minutes before the recommended packet cook time and drain it immediately when it’s cooked to al dente.
It tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have had a chance to mingle and the pasta has time to soak in some of the dressing. It is perfect for making ahead of time. Just make sure you leave the cherry tomatoes out if you are planning on serving it later. They will soften and lose some of their texture after soaking in the dressing.
Variations – this easy salad can be adapted to suit any tastes! Mix and match any of the filling ingredients for any of the following; marinated feta, crunchy cucumber, marinated eggplant or artichoke, fresh basil, grilled zucchini, roasted sweet potato.

FAQs

How long does it keep?

Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. It actually tastes even better the next day, once all of the flavours have had a change to develop.

Can I make it ahead?

The whole salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge, or the add-ins can all be chopped and stored in airtight containers in the fridge. The pasta can also be cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 1-2 days until ready to assemble and serve. The dressing will keep in a jar in the fridge for 3-4 days.

If using gluten-free pasta, I recommend adding the pasta just before serving, as otherwise it can break down in the dressing.

finished pasta salad in a bowl topped with salami and cherry tomatoes.

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in October 2019, but was re-published with new information and photos in December 2022.