Antipasto Pasta Salad

Submitted By: Downhome Editors

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Difficulty: easy Prep Time: 60 Total Time: 70

Antipasto Salad:
1 pound seashell pasta
½ pound Asiago cheese, diced
¼ pound Genoa salami, chopped
¼ pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
Dressing:
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Make the salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shell pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain, run under cold water to cool the pasta, and drain again.
Transfer drained pasta to a large bowl. Add Asiago, salami, pepperoni, tomatoes, bell peppers, and olives. Sprinkle dry dressing mix over top and stir until ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Make the dressing: Whisk oil, vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, pour dressing over chilled salad and mix until well combined. Yields 12 servings.