Grinder Pasta Salad
This Grinder Pasta Salad is the viral sandwich turned summer salad you won't be able to resist! It’s loaded with deli meats, crisp iceberg lettuce, briny olives, tangy pepperoncini, and rotini pasta all tossed in a creamy grinder dressing.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 12 oz rotini or bowtie pasta cooked and cooled
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved or sliced
- ½ cup sliced pepperoncini
- ½ cup sliced green olives
- ½ cup cubed provolone or mozzarella cheese
- ¼ lb sliced salami chopped
- ¼ lb sliced ham or turkey chopped
For the Dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package. Drain well, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside to cool.
- In a separate small bowl, make the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, assemble the salad. Add the cooled pasta, halved tomatoes, pepperoncini slices, green olives, diced cheese, chopped deli meats, and shredded lettuce.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss everything together until well coated and evenly combined.
- Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors mingle and the dressing absorb into the pasta.
Notes
- Use pasta with texture! Rotini, bowtie, or cavatappi work best! They grab the dressing and cheese.
- Chill the salad before serving for optimal flavor and texture.
- Don’t skip the lettuce. It adds that grinder crunch. Add it just before serving!
- Cut everything into small, even bites so you get a little of everything in each forkful.
Nutrition
Calories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 11gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 661mgPotassium: 193mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 205IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 1mg
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