Antipasto Pasta Salad: A Zesty Twist on a Classic Favorite!

Instead of arranging cured meats, cheeses, and marinated veggies on a platter as an appetizer, I toss everything together with tender pasta and a zesty Italian dressing. It’s fresh enough for summer cookouts but is also a smart way to use up leftover cheese and cured meats after a party!

The mix of salty olives, artichokes, and creamy mozzarella makes it colorful, delicious, and satisfying, and you can easily swap in whatever you’ve got on hand. All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

Easy Antipasto Pasta Salad Recipe

This recipe is the best combination of an antipasto salad and a pasta salad, and it takes me right back to my childhood. One vivid memory I have is of my Nana and Papa taking my family out to dinner at “Spumoni’s”, a family-owned Italian restaurant in New England.

My Nana always ordered the antipasto with extra anchovies. Of course, this made her granddaughters cringe at the time, but I remember trying to be brave enough to try the anchovies. It never happened (and I’m still not a fan, to be honest!), so I stuck to ordering mountains of pasta instead.

This antipasto pasta salad incorporates all the things I love about this memory and leaves off the things I didn’t. 😉 Nana and Papa treating us to dinner was certainly lower priced, but this recipe feeds a crowd for just $1.42 per serving.

I’m okay with that quotation tag for a trip down memory lane and a bunch of full bellies at my family cookout!

Budget-Saving Tips

- Some stores sell the ends and off-cuts of deli meats, like ham or other cold cuts, at a discount.

Since you’ll be chopping them up for this antipasto pasta salad anyway, they’re the perfect budget-friendly swap! - Keep an eye out for manager’s specials or markdowns on deli meats, cheeses, and jarred goods. They’re often nearing their sell-by date but still perfectly good to use in this recipe if you’re planning to enjoy it within a day or two.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

- 1 lb. penne pasta ($0.98)

- ½ ham steak (a little over ¼ lb., $1.88) - 7 slices pepperoni ($1.32) - 6 oz. mozzarella ball ($2.74)

- 1 tomato (vine ripened, $0.64) - ¼ cup pitted black olives ($0.98)

- ½ a 13.75 oz. can quartered Artichoke hearts ($1.29) Giardiniera mix (including all juice from the jar, $2.87) - ¾ cup Parmesan cheese (grated, $1.35)

- 1 cup Italian Dressing ($0.79) - ¼ cup pepperoncini peppers (whole (optional) $0.48)

- black pepper (to taste (freshly cracked), $0.03) - Gather your elements.

- Cook penne pasta until al dente, about 12 minutes. Rinse with cold water and set aside. - Prepare fresh elements: cube ham steak, chop pepperoni, dice mozzarella, deseed and dice the tomato, mince garlic, chop olives, and dice red onion.

- Combine cooked pasta, artichoke hearts, jar of Giardiniera mix (including all the juice!), and all ingredients from step 3 in a large mixing bowl. - Add grated Parmesan cheese and Italian dressing.

- Toss to combine and add desired amount of whole pepperoncini peppers.* Season with salt. Pepper to taste, if desired (I didn't end up adding any as the brine from the pickled veggies was salty enough!) Enjoy. See how we calculate method costs here.

Nutrition Information

how to make Antipasto Pasta Salad step-by-step photos Gather all of your elements.

Boil the pasta: Cook 1 lb. penne pasta following the package directions until al dente (about 12 minutes). Once cooked, rinse the pasta with cold water and set it aside. Prep the salad components: Cube ½ a ham steak, chop 7 slices pepperoni, dice the 6 oz. mozzarella ball, remove the seeds and dice 1 tomato, mince 1 garlic clove, chop ¼ cup pitted black olives, and dice ½ a red onion.

Assemble the pasta salad: Add the cooked pasta, artichoke hearts (half of a 13.75 oz. can), 16 fl oz. jar of Giardiniera mix (including all the juice!), and all components from the previous step to a large bowl. Now add ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of Italian dressing. Toss again to coat your Italian antipasto pasta salad in the dressing and cheese.

Add ¼ cup pepperoncini peppers on top. You can as well season with salt and pepper to taste, but I skipped this as the brine from the pickled veggies was salty enough!

I included as many classic antipasto components as I could in this recipe, so you get the traditional flavor in every bite. That told reporters, it’s easy to swap in what you already have. Change up the meats and cheeses, or toss in other veggies from your fridge…it all works!

Here are some things you can add: - Torn fresh basil leaves

- Fresh bell peppers (deseeded and chopped) - Any salad green you like (an Italian salad mix, iceberg lettuce, spinach, etc.)

- Leftover grilled chicken

Storage Instructions

This antipasto salad with pasta will keep in the fridge for up to 3–4 days, depending on how fresh your components are.

Keep in mind that the dressing will soak into the pasta and make it softer over time. If you’re making it ahead of time for an event, you can wait to add the dressing and Giardiniera mix (with the juice) until just before serving.

Give everything another toss before enjoying again.