Italian Sandwich Pasta Salad

Elevate your pasta salad game with this vibrant and flavor-packed Italian Sandwich Pasta Salad, a mouthwatering blend of bold Italian sandwich ingredients in every bite. Tender penne pasta is paired with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and savory strips of salami, all perfectly complemented by creamy cubes of provolone cheese and briny black olives. Tossed in zesty Italian dressing and garnished with fresh basil, this quick and easy salad is ready in just 25 minutes (including prep and cook time) and is perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, or a light yet satisfying lunch. With hints of red onion for a touch of sharpness and optional crushed red pepper flakes for a kick, this chilled pasta salad is bursting with Italian-inspired flavors that everyone will love.

Nutriscore Rating: 61/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz penne pasta
• 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium cucumber, diced
• 4 oz salami, sliced into strips
• 4 oz provolone cheese, cubed
• 0.5 cups black olives, sliced
• 0.25 cups red onion, thinly sliced
• 0.25 cups fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 0.75 cups Italian dressing
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.

Step 2

While the pasta cools, prepare the vegetables and other ingredients: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, slice the salami into thin strips, cube the provolone cheese, and thinly slice the red onion.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, salami, provolone cheese, black olives, red onion, and fresh basil.

Step 4

Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta salad mixture and toss until everything is well coated.

Step 5

Season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Step 6

Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 7

Serve chilled. Enjoy your Italian Sandwich Pasta Salad as a side dish or a light main course!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1361.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2803.4

Total Fat 134.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 44.3g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 18.9g
Cholesterol 195.7mg	0%
Sodium 8004.1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 308.2g	0%
Dietary Fiber 22.5g	0%
Total Sugars 29.9g
Protein 95.0g	0%

Vitamin D 22.7IU	0%
Calcium 944.6mg	0%
Iron 21.8mg	0%
Potassium 2288.4mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 42.9%

Protein: 13.5%

Carbs: 43.7%