Muffaletta Pasta Salad

The great New Orleans sandwich turned into an easy cold dish. You can serve this over a bed of lettuce with a slice of French bread to make it a meal versus a side dish.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 585 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained
• 1 pound rotini pasta
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 5 ounces tapenade (olive spread), or more to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (Optional)
• 8 ounces sliced salami, cut into thin strips
• 8 ounces sliced baked ham, cut into thin strips
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
• 4 ounces provolone cheese, cubed
• ¼ bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool.

Step 2

Mix tapenade into pasta and season with pepper. Add artichoke hearts, salami, ham, olives, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, red bell pepper, and parsley to pasta mixture and toss to coat. Transfer salad to a serving bowl and top with sesame seeds.