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Italian Grinder Pasta Salad

Italian grinder pasta salad with rotini, Italian deli meats, provolone, banana peppers, and a tangy Italian dressing. Cold, rinsed pasta and a 2-hour chill create a hoagie-style sandwich salad that’s easy to slice, mix, and serve.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and deli mix
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
  • 8 oz salami sliced and quartered
  • 8 oz pepperoni quartered
  • 8 oz ham diced
  • 8 oz provolone cheese cubed
Vegetables and cheeses
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup banana peppers sliced
  • 0.5 cup red onion diced
  • 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Dressing and seasoning
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Method
 

Cook and cool pasta
  1. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions until tender, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. The pasta should feel firm-tender and cool to the touch.
Build the grinder salad
  1. Combine pasta, salami, pepperoni, ham, provolone, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, and red onion in a large bowl. Toss until the meats and cheeses are evenly distributed.
  2. Add Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, then toss to coat thoroughly. The pasta should look glossy and evenly seasoned.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. Cover the bowl so the salad stays fresh and chilled.
  4. Just before serving, add shredded iceberg lettuce and toss. Mix only until the lettuce is incorporated so it stays crisp.
  5. Adjust dressing if needed and serve. Taste for balance and add a splash more dressing to loosen the mixture if it looks dry.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta well with cold water and chill the salad before adding lettuce so it doesn’t wilt. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the lettuce and dressing texture change. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat provolone and a lower-sodium Italian dressing to cut saturated fat while keeping the same hoagie-style flavor.