If you love a good grinder sandwich, just wait until you try this grinder pasta salad. It’s loaded with all the classic deli flavors you love, like savory meats, crunchy veggies, tangy peppers, and a creamy, zesty dressing, all tossed together with perfectly cooked pasta.
This bold, satisfying pasta salad is the perfect choice for everything from cookouts to weeknight dinners, and it’s so easy to make.
If you’re into hearty dishes with an Italian-inspired twist, try my Italian sliders, hot Italian sausage pizza roll-ups, or Crock Pot Italian green beans!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Loaded with meats, cheese, and crunchy veggies
- Creamy, tangy dressing with a little kick
- Perfect for parties, BBQs, or meal prep
- Easy to customize with your favorite add-ins
- Tastes even better the next day
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Rigatoni Pasta: Those big tubes hold onto all the dressing and mix-ins, so every bite is loaded with flavor.
- Pepperoni, Salami, & Ham: These bring that bold, savory, deli-style flavor. It’s what gives the pasta salad its “Italian sub” vibe.
- Provolone & Parmesan: Provolone adds creamy, mild cheesiness, while Parmesan brings a salty, nutty kick that boosts flavor.
- Bell Peppers, Red Onion, & Cucumber: They add crunch and freshness, and balance out the rich meats and cheese.
- Pepperoncini: These are key! They add that tangy, slightly spicy bite that really wakes everything up.
- Mayo, Red Wine Vinegar, & Olive Oil: They combine to create a rich, creamy dressing that’s not too heavy, with a touch of acidity to balance the flavors and add a zesty note.
Variations
- Add Lettuce: Add shredded lettuce for a true grinder feel.
- Swap the Meats: Almost any cured deli-style meat will work.
- Change the Pasta: Any textured noodle, like rotini or penne, will work.
- Add Olives: Add olives for a briny note.
How to Make Grinder Pasta Salad
1: Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain, add to a large bowl and toss with olive oil. Chill. Add all the dressing ingredients to a medium bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients and chill.
2: Add all the chopped ingredients to the bowl with the pasta.
3: Gently fold the pasta salad ingredients with the creamy sauce in a large bowl and
4: Next, fold in the Parmesan and parsley. Chill & enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Cook the pasta to al dente, so it doesn’t break up when you mix the salad ingredients.
- Chill all your pasta ingredients to avoid sogginess.
- Chop the ingredients evenly for the best texture.
- Chill for a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Overnight is better!
Grinder Pasta Salad FAQs
Yes! This pasta salad is actually better when made ahead. Letting it chill for a few hours or overnight allows the flavors to fully develop.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
It’s natural for the chopped veggies in this pasta salad to release a little water as they rest. Just give your pasta salad a good stir before serving.
Freezing isn’t recommended, as the creamy dressing and fresh vegetables won’t retain their texture well after thawing.
Rigatoni, rotini, penne, or any short, textured pasta works well.
Great Mains for This Grinder Pasta Salad
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Grinder Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Chopped Ingredients
- 1 cup pepperoni
- 1 cup ham
- ½ cup salami
- 8 ounce provolone cheese, diced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup English cucumber, cubed
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 16 ounce pepperoncini, drained and chopped (I used ½ jar)
- ¼ cup hot and sweet peppers, optional
Creamy Sauce
- 1 ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium high heat, and add salt.
- Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.
- Drain pasta, and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl.
- Set aside and cool in the fridge covered.
Creamy Sauce
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, remaining tablespoon of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and granulated garlic together until combined.
- Set in the refrigerator to chill.
Assemble Pasta Salad
- Chop all veggies into approximately the same sized cubes, about 1⁄2-inch.
- Chop all meats into the same sized pieces.
- Remove pasta and dressing from the fridge.
- Add all of the chopped ingredients to the pasta bowl, and top with the dressing.
- Gently fold everything together until combined and mixed through.
- Next, fold the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley into the bowl.
- Can be served immediately, or chilled for a few hours for the flavors to meld, or the next day.
Notes
- Cook the pasta to al dente, so it doesn’t break up when you mix the salad ingredients.
- Chill all your pasta ingredients to avoid sogginess.
- Chop the ingredients evenly for the best texture.
- Chill for a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Overnight is better!
Nutrition
Perfect for picnics or summer cookouts…love a loaded salad like this! It’s delicious the next day too to pack for lunch!
I made this for lunch and it was full of flavor. It really tastes like a sandwich in pasta form!
This grinder pasta salad looks packed with flavor and texture. I love how it turns a classic sandwich into an easy, crowd pleasing dish.
I love the twist of turning a classic sandwich into a pasta salad! It’s packed with so much flavor and is always a total hit at get-togethers.
Nice! I got all the tastiness of a grinder salad and a pasta salad in one, and it was super easy to make. You can’t beat that!
I love your recipes that combine two greats into one. This is another tasty one.