What is an Italian Deli Pasta Salad?
An Italian deli pasta salad is a cold pasta dish mixed with ingredients found in Italian subs. Yum! Popular Italian sub-ingredients found in most deli pasta salads include cured meats, cheese, olivespickled vegetables, arugula, tomatoes and onions. Most Italian deli pasta salads contain pickled giardiniera, as it is a popular ingredient in Italian sandwiches. Naturally, I chose to cut up my fermented giardiniera and use it in this recipe. Pro tip: When I feel like I need more protein, I throw in some rotisserie chicken too.
Ferments to use in this recipe
I highly recommend using fermented giardiniera if you have it! I make some every spring and summer, and I love using them to make this pasta salad. If you don’t have giardiniera, don’t worry, other ferments work fine! Here are my recommended replacements:
The Best Pasta Shapes for Italian Deli Pasta Salad
You can use many different types of pasta in this recipe, but I think penne and fusilli are the most classic options. Here are some other fun pasta shape options you can try:
- butterflies
- elbow
- orzo
- corkscrew
- bells
Can I prepare this pasta salad?
Yes! You can follow the recipe as described and store the pasta salad in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend adding the arugula as you serve it if you plan to prepare the pasta salad in advance. Otherwise it will get quite soggy.
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Preparation:
15 minutes -
Cook:
10 minutes -
Total time:
25 minutes
- Cook your pasta in salted water according to the package directions.
- While your pasta is cooking, combine all the other ingredients in a large bowl. (If you plan to prepare this and eat leftovers, add the arugula when you serve so it doesn’t get soggy)
- Drain the pasta and put it in the bowl.
- Mix to combine and sprinkle with black pepper to taste.
- Leave a five-star rating below if you loved this recipe!
Comments
- Sub sauerkraut, fermented pickles, or store-bought pickled giardiniera if you don’t have fermented giardiniera
- This recipe contains a lot of salty ingredients, so you don’t need to add salt
- If you plan to prepare and eat leftovers, add the arugula when you serve it so it doesn’t get soggy.
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