This Italian Grinder pasta salad is a delicious pasta salad packed with the flavors of classic grinder sandwich. Itโs the perfect pasta salad to take to a summer BBQ or easy lunch meal prep option.
Why Youโll Love This Recipe
- Leftover pasta salad stores great making the perfect meal prep option.
- This pasta salad is easily customizable to your favorite toppings and what you have on hand.
- It's a delicious twist on the viral grinder sandwich.
- It's the perfect pasta salad to feed a crowd.
If you're looking for other pasta recipes, try our marry me chicken pasta or our Italian pink sauce pasta.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta - our favorite variety of pasta for this pasta salad is ditalini, but you can use another variety of your choice like rotini, radiatore, or cavatappi.
- Deli turkey - we like to get fresh sliced turkey from the deli. Boars head is our go-to brand. You can swap the turkey for ham if you prefer.
- Pepperoni - pepperoni or salami work great. We used the Applegate brand.
- Pepperoncini peppers - can swap for banana peppers if preferred.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Tips & Variations
- Feel free to swap the turkey for ham if desired, and pepperoni for salami. You can also add shredded lettuce, but the pasta won't store well with the lettuce.
- Swap the provolone for any shredded cheese of your choice.
- Parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes can add a finishing touch.
- Artichoke hearts, bell peppers, chickpeas, olives, etc. would all make a good addition. Feel free to get creative and add what you have on hand!
How to Make Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and run it under cold water to allow it to cool. Place the pasta in a large bowl and set it in the fridge in the meantime.
Step 2: Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small jar or bowl. Shake or whisk until well combined.
Step 3: Prepare the other ingredients. Once everything is prepared, add the toppings to the bowl with the pasta.
Step 4: Add the dressing a little at a time until the pasta has the right amount of dressing. You will have extra dressing that you can store and add to leftovers.
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container. Save the extra dressing and add dressing as needed the next day.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta. For a dairy-free version, leave out the cheese. This recipe is not vegan or vegetarian.
Other Italian-Inspired Recipes
If you make this grinder sandwich pasta salad, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Donโt forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished productโit makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the pasta salad:
- 12 ounces dry pasta (we recommend ditalini)
- ยพ cup grape tomatoes, halved
- โ cup red onion, finely diced
- 8 ounces deli turkey, diced
- 4 ounces pepperoni or salami, quartered
- ยฝ cup freshly grated provolone cheese
- ยฝ cup sliced jarred pepperoncini peppers or banana peppers
- 1 cucumber, small dice
For the dressing:
- โ cup olive oil or avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยผ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and run it under cold water to allow it to cool. Place the pasta in a large bowl and set it in the fridge in the meantime.
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small jar or bowl. Shake or whisk until well combined.
- Prepare the other ingredients. Once everything is prepared, add the toppings to the bowl with the pasta. Add the dressing a little at a time until the pasta has the right amount of dressing. You will have extra dressing that you can store and add to leftovers.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta. For a dairy-free version, leave out the cheese. This recipe is not vegan or vegetarian.
- Prep Ahead:
- All of the ingredients can be chopped and prepped ahead of time. Make the dressing and leave it in the fridge and then add the desired amount before serving.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Grinder Pasta Salad." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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