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Antipasto Pasta Salad

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 24, 2013

Time

1 hour, plus 30 minutes chilling

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Ingredients

8 ounces sliced pepperoni, cut into ¼-inch strips8 ounces soppresatta or salami, halved and cut into ¼-inch strips10 tablespoons red wine vinegar 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 jar pepperoncini (12-ounce), drained, (2 tablespoons juice reserved), stemmed, and chopped coarse4 garlic cloves, minced¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes Salt and pepper 1 pound fusilli or campanelle1 pound white mushrooms, quartered1 cup shredded provolone cheese, aged12 ounces roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped coarse1 cup chopped fresh basil

Before You Begin

We also liked the addition of 1 cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives or 1 cup jarred artichokes, drained and quartered. Use any curly-shaped pasta for this recipe.

Instructions

  1. Place one paper towel on microwave-safe plate. Arrange pepperoni in single layer on paper towel. Cover with another paper towel and layer soppressata on towel. Top with another paper towel and microwave on highest power until meat begins to render fat, about 1 minute. Set meat aside.
  2. Whisk 5 tablespoons vinegar, olive oil, mayonnaise, pepperoncini juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl.
  3. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, return to pot, and toss with 1/2 cup dressing and remaining vinegar. Adjust seasonings, spread dressed pasta on rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, bring remaining dressing to simmer in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices and are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cool.
  5. Add meat, provolone, roasted red peppers, chopped pepperoncini, basil, and cooled pasta to mushrooms and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1 hour, plus 30 minutes chilling

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

8 ounces sliced pepperoni, cut into ¼-inch strips
8 ounces soppresatta or salami, halved and cut into ¼-inch strips
10 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 jar pepperoncini (12-ounce), drained, (2 tablespoons juice reserved), stemmed, and chopped coarse
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1 pound fusilli or campanelle
1 pound white mushrooms, quartered
1 cup shredded provolone cheese, aged
12 ounces roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped coarse
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Ingredients

8 ounces sliced pepperoni, cut into ¼-inch strips
8 ounces soppresatta or salami, halved and cut into ¼-inch strips
10 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 jar pepperoncini (12-ounce), drained, (2 tablespoons juice reserved), stemmed, and chopped coarse
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1 pound fusilli or campanelle
1 pound white mushrooms, quartered
1 cup shredded provolone cheese, aged
12 ounces roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped coarse
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Ingredients

8 ounces sliced pepperoni, cut into ¼-inch strips
8 ounces soppresatta or salami, halved and cut into ¼-inch strips
10 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 jar pepperoncini (12-ounce), drained, (2 tablespoons juice reserved), stemmed, and chopped coarse
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1 pound fusilli or campanelle
1 pound white mushrooms, quartered
1 cup shredded provolone cheese, aged
12 ounces roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped coarse
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Why This Recipe Works

We love the traditional antipasto platter served at Italian restaurants, chock-full of cured meats, cheese, and pickled vegetables. It’s a full-flavored and satisfying dish—and something that we thought would translate well to a hearty pasta salad.

We quickly decided that short, curly pasta was the best shape to use, as its curves held on to the salad’s other components, making for a more cohesive dish. Quickly rendering the meats in the microwave helped to keep this salad from becoming greasy. We used an increased ratio of vinegar to oil in the dressing—the sharp, acidic flavor cut the richness of the meats and cheese for a brighter-­tasting salad. For well-seasoned pasta, we tossed the hot pasta with the dressing—hot pasta absorbs dressing better than cold pasta. Slicing the meat into thick strips meant that its hearty flavor wasn’t lost among the other ingredients. And grating the cheese, rather than cubing it, made for evenly distributed sharp flavor throughout the salad.

Before You Begin

We also liked the addition of 1 cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives or 1 cup jarred artichokes, drained and quartered. Use any curly-shaped pasta for this recipe.

Instructions

  1. Place one paper towel on microwave-safe plate. Arrange pepperoni in single layer on paper towel. Cover with another paper towel and layer soppressata on towel. Top with another paper towel and microwave on highest power until meat begins to render fat, about 1 minute. Set meat aside.
  2. Whisk 5 tablespoons vinegar, olive oil, mayonnaise, pepperoncini juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl.
  3. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, return to pot, and toss with 1/2 cup dressing and remaining vinegar. Adjust seasonings, spread dressed pasta on rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, bring remaining dressing to simmer in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices and are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cool.
  5. Add meat, provolone, roasted red peppers, chopped pepperoncini, basil, and cooled pasta to mushrooms and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

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Appears In

Episode • Season 8

Pizza Party

Magazine

June / July 2007

Key Equipment

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Equipment

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Average rating 5, 4 ratings.

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