Antipasto Salad Platter
Submitted by lizskipp
Antipasto pasta salad with salami, provolone, garbanzo beans, olives, and mushrooms in a lemon-garlic-basil dressing. A make-ahead party dish that gets better as it chills.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
10 minREADY
30 minThis antipasto pasta salad brings all the best parts of an Italian charcuterie spread into one bowl. Salami, provolone, garbanzo beans, black olives, sliced mushrooms, and red and green peppers all tossed with radiatori pasta in a bright lemon, garlic, and fresh basil dressing.
The technique makes a real difference here. The dressing goes onto the hot pasta straight from the pot — don’t rinse it. Hot pasta absorbs the olive oil and lemon dressing in a way that cold pasta never will, and that’s what gives every piece of pasta flavor all the way through rather than just on the surface.
Once the pasta has cooled and absorbed the dressing, the rest of the ingredients get folded in gently. A one-hour chill before serving pulls everything together and lets the flavors settle.
This is one of those recipes that’s actually better made a day ahead.
Kitchen Tips
- Do not rinse the pasta after draining; the starch helps the dressing cling
- Use radiatori for the best sauce and dressing capture, but rotini or fusilli work well too
- Taste and adjust seasoning after chilling — cold dulls salt and acid, so you may need a squeeze more lemon or a pinch of salt before serving
- If the salad looks dry after refrigerating, add a small drizzle of olive oil and toss
Variations
- Add marinated artichoke hearts for an extra layer of Italian antipasto flavor
- Swap salami for pepperoni or skip the meat entirely for a vegetarian version
Ingredients
Directions
NOTE: Make Dressing First.
Make dressing in a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, red pepper, garlic, and basil; shake until well combined.
Cook pasta: In a large kettle bring 3 quarts water, salt and salad oil to a boil.
Add pasta; bring back to boiling; cook uncovered stirring occasionally with long fork to prevent sticking, just until tender, about 7 to 8 minutes.
Do not over cook. Drain well; do not rinse. Turn into large bowl; add dressing; toss to combine.
Cool completely.
To pasta mixture, add green and red peppers, sliced mushrooms, provolone cheese, garbanzo beans, salami, olives, and parsley; toss lightly to combine.
Turn into serving bowl; Refrigerate covered 1 hour.
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