Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad

This Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad is a tasty make-ahead side dish or meal that’s full of veggies, salami, cheese and seasonings. It’s an easy pasta salad that everyone loves! 

Ingredients

3 cups dried pasta, bow tie or penne

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste

2 cups strips of red and yellow sweet peppers

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup salami, cubed

1 cup canned artichoke hearts, quartered

1 cup cubed monterey jack cheese, or other cheese of choice

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/2 cup chopped red onions

6 leaves fresh basil, stacked and rolled up together, then thinly sliced into ribbons

1/2 cup bottled Italian salad dressing, or to taste

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well.

In a large salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, garlic salt and pepper.

Add cooked pasta to the salad bowl; stir to coat.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Remove salad from fridge.

Add prepared peppers, tomatoes, salami, artichoke hearts, cheese, olives, onions and basil.

Add the salad dressing and toss to coat.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 24 hours.