Ultimate Antipasto Pasta Salad

If you’ve ever wondered what a delicious Italian Antipasto would taste like if it were made into pasta salad, then say hello to your new favorite recipe! My Ultimate Antipasto Pasta Salad is the perfect meal-prep friendly lunch that you’ll be craving all week long. It’s filled with tender pasta, chickpeas, salami, and sweet peppers, and is topped with a delicious creamy shallot vinaigrette for the perfect pasta salad recipe.

Friends, I’m going to be so honest with you: I’ve never met a pasta salad that I didn’t like. There’s something about swapping out soggy, sad lettuces for tender pasta noodles that truly makes a salad irresistible. When I was dreaming up recipe ideas for my new series, “Meal Prep Lunches That Crush,” I knew that a delicious, flavorful pasta salad needed to make it into the mix. And truly, what could be better than an Antipasto Pasta Salad?

Think of this recipe as your traditional Antipasto board… but made into a pasta salad! If you are unfamiliar with what Antipasto is, it’s the Italian version of an appetizer. But instead of mozzarella sticks or bread rolls, it’s a platter that is full of fresh cheeses, meats, and cut vegetables. Think: fresh mozzarella, salty salami, and marinated artichokes. It’s the perfect way to wet your palate before a delicious meal of Italian pasta. But in this recipe, we’re combining both of them together.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can easily swap out the traditional pasta for a gluten-free alternative like Banza. You can remove the salami for a delicious, vegetarian-friendly rendition of this recipe. Or, swap the cheese for a vegan alternative and make it dairy-free! Oh, and this isn’t your grandma’s pasta salad… it doesn’t contain any mayo, making it a lighter and healthier lunch option!

What You Need to Make This Meal-Prep-Friendly Recipe

• 🍝 Pasta: Pick your favorite pasta and use it in this recipe! You can use traditional pasta, gluten-free pasta, or even a high-protein option like Banza.
• Chickpeas: Chickpeas are one of my favorite plant-based sources of protein! And, not to mention, they’re also inexpensive, making them a great protein option for when you’re on a budget.
• Cherry Tomatoes: The cherry tomatoes add brightness and acidity to this pasta salad.
• 🌶️ Sweet Baby Peppers: I love the addition of the sweet baby peppers to this salad. They’re sweet, crunchy, and delicious.. and, not to mention, they’re also not super spicy, which means everyone will enjoy them.
• 🫒 Kalamata Olives: I love the addition of olives to this recipe, as the brininess pairs perfectly with the other ingredients. If you don’t like olives, you can also substitute capers instead!
• Hard Salami: A pork-based hard salami is essential to antipasto, which means it’s perfect in this pasta salad. Don’t skip it!

• Pepperoncini: Salty, slightly-spicy pepperonicinis (aka Italian chili peppers) add a delicious kick to this salad.
• 🧀 Parmigiano Reggiano: Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano truly adds the most delicious flavor to this pasta dish, WAY better than your pre-shredded parmesan cheese. If there’s one ingredient that’s worth the splurge, it’s this one!
• Olive Oil: Olive oil adds healthy fats and a delicious flavor to this Antipasto Pasta Salad.
• Red Wine Vinegar:
• Lemon Juice: A little bit of lemon juice makes this vinaigrette come to life – don’t skip it!
• Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds the right amount of tang to this vinaigrette – don’t skip it!
• Shallot: Shallots may be small, but they’re packed with flavor, which makes them perfect for this dressing.
• 🧄 Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible. It adds the best flavor to this dressing!
• Italian Seasoning: A pinch of Italian seasoning is essential to this Italian-inspired recipe.
• 🧂 Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper: A pinch of salt and pepper adds the perfect finishing touch to the vinaigrette – don’t skip this!

How to Make This Creamy Pasta Salad

To make this pasta salad, start by preparing the Creamy Shallot Vinaigrette. Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients (the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and ground black pepper) to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set the dressing aside.

Next, prepare the pasta by cooking it according to the package instructions, but decreasing the cook time by 2 minutes. The pasta should be al dente – firm, and not soggy! Once the pasta is done, drain it, rinse it, and add it to a large bowl. Then, drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to the bowl with the pasta.

Prepare the rest of the pasta salad ingredients by chopping the cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, kalamata olives, salami, and peperonicinis and adding them to the bowl with the pasta. Finally, pour the dressing on top of the pasta salad ingredients and toss to fully combine.

Garnish the salad with a hearty sprinkle of parmigiano reggiano, then give it one more toss. Once it’s done, serve and enjoy!

Add This Recipe to an Italian-Style Meal… With a Twist

I couldn’t talk about the joys of Antipasto while neglecting to mention the other, equally as-important parts to an Italian meal! If you’re looking to add this Antipasto Pasta Salad to a part of a non-traditional Italian meal, then this is the perfect way to do it…

• Antipasto: Of course, this Antipasto Pasta Salad has you covered!
• Primi: Primi is the first course of a meal and generally focuses on meatless dishes that are packed with flavor. My Easy High Protein Skillet Lasagna or my Walnut Pesto Pasta are delicious options here!
• Secondi: For the main course, there is nothing better than my Quick and Easy Chicken Parmesan or a delicious, hearty steak!
• Contorni: Contorni dishes are side dishes that are served alongside the Secondi. I love my Crunchy Garlic Lemon Broccolini or my Crispy Parmesan Artichoke Hearts as two delicious options.
• Insalata: Of course, it wouldn’t be an Italian-inspired meal without the salad. And, what could be better than my Crazy Good Italian Chopped Salad?

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim