Antipasto Pasta Salad with Parmesan Herb Vinaigrette
Antipasto Pasta Salad with Parmesan Herb Vinaigrette is the perfect addition to your backyard barbecue, picnic, pot luck or just an easy, delicious grab-and-go lunch! Serve alongside Grilled Marinated Skirt Steak with Peperonata and Rasberry Ricotta Cake with Almonds for an Italian-inspired feast your guests will rave about.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice about 1 large lemon
- Several sprigs of fresh basil, parsley and chives
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salad
- Salt
- 2 large broccoli crowns cut into florets (approximately 4-5 cups)
- 1 pound (16-ounces) farfalle (bowtie pasta)
- Olive oil
- 1 medium red onion finely chopped (approximately 1 cup)
- 1 large red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 can (15-ounce) garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained and rinsed
- 1 jar (12-ounce) marinated artichoke heart quarters halved widthwise
- 1/2 cup pitted and halved Kalamata Olives
- 6 ounces salami such as Genoa cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 block (8-ounce) Mozzarella or Provolone cheese cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
- Chopped parsley for garnish
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Vinaigrette
- Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.
Salad
- Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Drop the broccoli into the boiling water. Cook for 5 seconds or until the broccoli turns bright green. Drop into the ice bath and let cool. Drain and set aside.
- Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold tap water. Toss with olive oil.
- Combine the pasta with next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Toss in the broccoli.
- Drizzle with dressing as desired.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves, chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Use rotini, penne, ziti, or large macaroni instead of bowtie pasta. Any short pasta shape will work.
- Use cauliflower instead of broccoli, cannellini beans instead of chickpeas, or green olives instead of Kalamata olives.
- Save time and water by blanching the broccoli in the same water you'll cook the pasta in. Bring the pot of salted water to a boil, toss in the broccoli then transfer it to an ice bath. Bring it back to a boil, and then pour in the pasta.
- Be sure to only cook the pasta to the al dente stage as the pasta will soften up after the dressing is added. Al dente means "to the tooth." Basically, it should be cooked, yet fight back a little.
- Can be assembled 2 days ahead of time. Leave the dressing off the salad otherwise, the pasta will soak it up.
- Dress the salad when you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 767kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 34g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 793mg | Potassium: 780mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1712IU | Vitamin C: 166mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 3mg