Description

A vibrant and flavorful Best Pasta Salad featuring cooked fusilli pasta, fresh mozzarella balls, savory salami, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, and black olives, all tossed in a zesty homemade dressing made from extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, apple cider vinegar, fresh parsley, and Italian seasoning. This easy-to-make salad is perfect for gatherings, picnics, or as a refreshing side dish.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta Salad

1 lb cooked fusilli pasta
8 oz mozzarella balls, halved
4 oz salami, quartered
1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pitted black olives, sliced

Dressing

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp red apple vinegar
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked fusilli pasta, halved mozzarella balls, quartered salami pieces, chopped artichoke hearts, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced black olives. Gently mix to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Prepare Dressing: In a jar with a secure lid, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, finely chopped garlic, red apple vinegar, freshly chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Close the lid tightly and shake vigorously until all ingredients are well blended.
Toss Salad: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad mixture. Gently toss everything together until the pasta and other ingredients are uniformly coated with the dressing. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper according to your taste.
Chill and Serve: Serve the pasta salad immediately for a fresh, vibrant flavor or refrigerate it for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld together beautifully. Serve chilled or at room temperature based on preference.

Notes

For best results, prepare the pasta salad at least one hour before serving to let the flavors meld.
You can substitute salami with pepperoni or omit for a vegetarian option (but the diet field will not be marked vegetarian since salami is included).
Use fresh mozzarella balls for a creamier texture.
Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level or omit if sensitive to spice.
Use any short pasta shape like rotini or penne if fusilli is unavailable.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.