This classic Italian style pasta salad recipe uses an unconventional technique for the best possible result. Get $20 off your first order of Cometeer at https://cometeer.com/brianlagerstrom
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*RECIPE – Full recipe including volumetric conversions on my blog: https://brianlagerstrom.com/recipes/italian-deli-pasta-salad/ *
Pasta Salad:
2000g water
45g fine salt, for the pasta water
235g rotini
25g white distilled vinegar
1-2 tsp olive oil
100g pitted Kalamata olives, cut into thirds
60-75g red bell pepper, small diced
50g-75g pepperoncini, small diced
110g thin-sliced Genoa salami, diced into 1” squares
150g Italian dressing, plus more as needed
100-150g fresh mozzarella
100g oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, blotted and chopped into ½” pieces
75g aged, coarsely grated Parmesan
Dressing:
20g red onion, rinsed
1 clove garlic
15g red bell pepper
25g grainy mustard
25g red wine vinegar
45g white distilled vinegar
1/4t dried oregano
1/4t dried basil
1/4t red chile flake
1/4t ground black pepper
15g sugar
5g salt
200g (about 1 cup) neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
1. Bring water to a boil
2. Add red wine vinegar, 45g white vinegar, rinsed chopped red onion, garlic, red bell pepper, grainy mustard, sugar, salt, and oregano, basil, pepper, and chile flake to a tall, narrow container. Blend until completely broken down.
3. With the immersion blender running, slowly stream in neutral oil, moving the blender up and down as the dressing thickens. Blend until opaque
4. Dice mozzarella into ¼-inch cubes. Halve olives, chop pepperoncini, small dice red bell pepper, chop Genoa salami, and chop sun-dried tomatoes.
5. Add salt to the boiling water. Add rotini, stir, and boil 11 to 12 minutes, or about 25% longer than the box instructions, until fully tender
6. Drain the pasta. Don’t rinse. While still hot, toss with white distilled vinegar and 2 tsp oil. Toss gently. Let cool to roughly room temperature
7. Add mix-ins, about half the dressing, and grated Parmesan to the cooled pasta. Fold together gently
8 Serve immediately or chill then serve topped with extra dressing and grated parm.
Chapters:
0:00 Making the dressing
4:45 Boiling pasta and prepping ingredients
12:12 Assembling the pasta salad
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42 Comments
Hey Brian..the recipe and print recipe on your other site are missing the amount of neutral oil for the dressing..just fyi..
I've been overcooking my pasta for years, best way in salads
It’s like you knew what I been wanting to make
Never seen a pasta salad anything like this before in my life but everything about it sounds good as hell so I need to try it
Oh no, the cookie duster is gone!
Yum
If I may just make one suggestion: I wouldn't try to talk over a blender or food processor, I would save any instructions and notes to be a post-production voice-over OR do all the talking before or after. I know with your new editing style that this would add a bit more work but you already do voice-over stuff for some of your sponsored segments and even if you raise your voice, it's still difficult to hear and you're still forcing your audience to have to listen to a very grating to ear and painful sound. (I say this because I feel like you tried it in another video a little while back but I might be thinking of someone else… either way, it's something I'd strongly consider)
Yum yum yum!!! I don't want to be that person but is there anything I could use instead of olives so I don't ruin the balance/texture? I know I can just leave them out.
Damn I gotta turn the water pot handle to the side. That is a dad speaking 😮
How do you make it so that the pasta doesn't have that metalic aftertaste when you take it out of the fridge?
Real question. That's why I don't ever make pasta salad or buy it.
Maybe it's me ❤
I had an interesting thought. If you wanted the taste of olive oil could you cheat and drop an olive in there with everything else to give it a bit of the flavor? Would that give it a similar taste? I might have to try that.
I appreciate you estimating how long the dressing will last in the fridge. As someone who only recently started cooking, I haven't developed the strongest intuition for perishables.
his warning about olive oil also applies to coconut oil, FYI. Turns into glue in da fridge.
Another great video and new recipe to try from Brian! Looking forward to trying this.
(I have to wonder who thought that a Taco Bell ad would be interesting or appealing, or could possibly lead me not to cook tonight when it popped up in the middle of your video! The YT algorithm is a mystery… 😂😂😂😂)
I love how minimalist your kitchen is. Thanks for all your work and videos. This channel is amazing and recipes are always great.
Looks absolutely delicious Bri. Can't wait to make it.
This looks amazing! Are there any substitutions you would recommend for people who don’t like olives or should we just omit?
If you are making ahead, where would you stop in your assemblage? Before the cheese and dressing?
Okay I love an italian pasta salad and just watching this made my mouth water for real 😂
TOO heterogeneous? Are you selling tickets to your epic showdown with Adam Ragusea? 😉
I make this for my daughter and now I see I’ve been doing it all wrong. She will love you for this. I’m her ‘chef’? Perhaps we are all ‘someone’s’ chef? Well researched and done! It’s your wheelhouse! 💗
Cotija cheese instead of parmesan
Mustard has lecithin which helps hold the emulsion. 🤓
man you caught me at just the right time, I've been wanting to do a pasta dish thing like this for a minute. also glad you're still making these banger vids
3:08 You are trying to tell us, Olive Oil gets bitter by being blended?! 🤣🤣🤣
My BS senses are tingling…
Dude, every time anyone is cooking with a stove, put the handle of any pan or pot away from the front of the stove. It's just mandatory on any cooking environment. Safety first.
The American preoccupation with Parmigiano is perplexing.
Nothing is really more nostalgic to me than sub sandwiches and Jewel's store brand Italian pasta salad, preferably eaten right from the container.
two thousand grams of water bro you are crazeeeeyyyy
We caught you lying bro you tasted just the pasta and then you proceed to tell us how good all the ingredients are in the bite, like bruh we just saw u eat just noodles lol!!! BUSTED
Thank you thank you thank you!!
You are one of my favourite chefs on YouTube
hey Bri you should make a video on how to make your hairstyle for april fools or something
Do Americans have litres, or is it just quarts over there 🤔
I love watching your videos for things I already make because as you explain the different things you do invariably you end up addressing every problem I’ve had with whatever dish it is.
Hey Bri, Thanks for another great recipe! Question: Are you still planning on offering the scale you designed for sale on your website? If so, any idea when it will be available?
Thanks!
We used to make a pasta salad very close to this when I worked in the deli. Slight differences was pasta was overcooked but closer to al dente, about 1 minute over, so it didn't get mushy overnight. We used provolone because it kept better and didn't get soft. Salami was cut smaller at 1/2 inch and we added hot soppressata at about 2:1 ratio. We also added pepperoncini brine to the dressing, about 10-15 g. Thumbs up to the red bell pepper in the dressing!
I swear that you have already done this recipe with two other pasta recipes. It really doesn't matter. This is one of my favorite recipes ever of yours. It's perfection
I might add… I have friends who have summer parties and BBQs just so I will make this. This is a must make and add to the repertoire of signature dishes.
8 portions = 1 portion for me LOL
Very similar to the recipe I learned from my grandma growing up – great stuff. Will have to try the addition of red bell pepper.