Chef John's Antipasto Pasta Salad

An antipasto is a cold platter of meat, cheese, and vegetables which is served at the start of a meal before the pasta and other courses, but to save some time, I thought we'd add the pasta right into the antipasto to turn into a complete meal all by itself. You could serve this as a side dish, but with a hunk of crusty bread and a glass of wine, I'm not sure what else you'd need. Top with more parsley before serving.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 485 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 (16 ounce) package fusilli pasta
• ½ cup sliced black olives
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ½ cup sliced green olives
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 anchovy fillet
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ¼ cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
• 1 clove garlic, finely crushed
• ½ cup red wine vinegar, or more to taste
• ⅓ cup julienned red onion
• ⅓ cup julienned jalapeno pepper
• ⅓ cup julienned pickled pepperoncini peppers
• ½ cup julienned fire-roasted red pepper
• 1 cup quartered baby artichoke hearts
• ¼ pound salami, julienned
• ¼ pound pepperoni, julienned
• 3 ounces deli-style ham, julienned
• ¼ pound provolone cheese, julienned

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook fusilli in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander, but do not rinse; stir to release heat. Allow to cool in the colander for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 2

While pasta cools, add garlic and anchovy to a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk or fork to crush the anchovy and garlic into a paste. Add Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly, until dressing is smooth, thick, and coats the back of a spoon.

Step 3

Pour cooled pasta into the bowl of dressing and toss with a large spoon until well coated.

Step 4

Stir red onion, jalapeno, pepperoncini, red pepper, artichokes, black olives, green olives into the salad. Add salami, pepperoni, and ham; mix thoroughly. Add Provolone cheese. Mix with a spoon thoroughly to combine. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, 3 to 12 hours.

Step 5

Remove from the refrigerator, add chopped parsley and tomatoes, and mix thoroughly. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.