Quick Antipasto Salad

Name: Quick Antipasto Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 24 servings.
Ingredients: 2 packages (16 ounces each) spiral pasta; 2 cans (15 ounces each) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained; 2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) sliced pepperoni, halved; 2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained; 3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms; 2 medium sweet red peppers, chopped; 2 medium green peppers, chopped; Dressing:; 2 cups olive oil; 1-1/2 cups lemon juice; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1/4 cup minced fresh basil or 4 teaspoons dried basil; 4 teaspoons salt; 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

I always told my sister, Karen, I'd marry a cowboy—and I did! Patrick and I had a festive farm-style wedding. My mother prepared all the side dishes, including this tongue-tingling salad. —Kendra Waterbury, East Thetford, Vermont

Ingredients

2 packages (16 ounces each) spiral pasta
2 cans (15 ounces each) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) sliced pepperoni, halved
2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 medium sweet red peppers, chopped
2 medium green peppers, chopped
Dressing:
2 cups olive oil
1-1/2 cups lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh basil or 4 teaspoons dried basil
4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse in cold water and drain. In a large salad bowl, combine the pasta, beans, pepperoni, olives, mushrooms and peppers.
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well. Pour over pasta mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Just before serving, stir to coat.

Tip: The dressing can be made up to a week ahead and refrigerated until salad is ready to assemble.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 281 calories, 21g fat (3g saturated fat), 3mg cholesterol, 518mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.

Originally published as Antipasto Salad in Down the Aisle Country-Style

Reviews

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Average Rating:

I_Fortuna

Jun 22, 2017

I make this salad all the time. I love it. I sometimes use hard salami with peppercorns in it. It is delicious. I love the bell peppers because they are loaded with vitamin C and fiber. Because they are sweet peppers they have a mild taste and add body to the salad. If I have Olive Garden dressing handy I use it, although, I love the recipe for the salad dressing given here. Lemon really adds a lot to a dressing. Chopped seeded tomatoes are a good addition as is chopped Provolone and Parmesan.
nmharleyrider

May 31, 2016

With two raw peppers in this recipe, believe me all we could taste was the peppers. If you are going to put red peppers in an Antipasto salad you had better roast those peppers first. First it is more authentic and second the flavor is enhanced and made more subtle so you can taste the other ingredients.