Antipasto Pasta Salad—A Colorful and Flavorful Summer Side
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This Antipasto Pasta Salad is packed with color, flavor, and Mediterranean vibes—perfect for summer gatherings!
This vibrant salad combines spiral pasta with classic antipasto ingredients like tomatoes, olives, onions, and creamy feta. Tossed in a zesty homemade Italian vinaigrette, it’s ideal for potlucks, picnics, BBQs, or a light dinner on warm days. Serve it chilled and watch it disappear!
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Why You’ll Love This Antipasto Pasta Salad Recipe
- Bright, bold flavors from a mix of Mediterranean ingredients
- Quick to prepare—ready in just 30 minutes
- Can be made ahead—great for meal prep or entertaining
- Easily customizable with your favorite pasta shapes and add-ins
- Vegetarian-friendly and perfect for summer
- Tastes even better the next day!
Craving more? Explore our collection of fresh and tasty Salad Recipes
Ingredients for Antipasto Pasta Salad
The ingredients and tools for this recipe are conveniently linked to online retailers, including Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Walmart. The quantities are in the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce: Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onions, Arugula (Rocket)
- Dairy & Chilled: Feta Cheese
- Pantry: Sugar, Sea Salt, Black Pepper
- Spiral Pasta—rotini, fusilli, or spirali (cavatappi)
- Canned Sweet Corn—rinsed and drained
- Green Olives—jarred, canned, or fresh; pitted and halved
- Pistachios—for added crunch (optional)
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Dried Oregano
- Good-Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil—use an olive oil made for dressings
The complete list of ingredients, along with their measurements, is provided on the recipe card. The Purple Pumpkin Blog uses both cups and weighted measurements in its recipes, making American cups and kitchen food scales valuable tools for trying all the recipes. We provide measurements in US customary, imperial, and metric units. Still, it’s essential to note that while you can combine cup measurements with weighted measures, never mix US customary/imperial units (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.) with metric units (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.).
How Do I Make Antipasto Pasta Salad?
This salad is super easy—just cook the pasta, prep the veggies, shake up the vinaigrette, and toss it all together!
Check out the recipe card below—you can print or save it for later—and please don’t forget to leave a star rating.
Then, continue scrolling for more food pairings and more info about this recipe.
Antipasto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 16 ounces spiral pasta tri-color rotini, fusilli, or cavatappi
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 large red onion chopped
- 1 (15-oz) can sweet corn (sweetcorn) rinsed and drained
- ½ pound Feta cheese crumbled
- 1 (6-oz jar) green olives, pitted and halved
- ½ cup arugula optional
- ¼ cup pistachios optional
For the Dressing:
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, following package directions.
- Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Add pasta to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cherry tomatoes, red onion, corn, green olives, and crumbled feta.
- Make the dressing by whisking all dressing ingredients together in a bowl or shaking in a jar until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat everything evenly.
- Garnish with arugula and pistachios if using. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Tips
- Use tri-color pasta for a more vibrant presentation.
- Rinse the pasta well to cool it and remove excess starch.
- Double the dressing recipe if you like it extra saucy!
Substitutions
- Swap feta for mozzarella pearls or goat cheese.
- Use black olives if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Add salami or pepperoni slices for a meatier twist.
Leftovers & Freezing
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Not recommended for freezing, as fresh vegetables and pasta do not freeze well when already dressed.
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
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Pair This Pasta Salad With…
Looking for dishes to complete your summer dinner table? These fresh and flavorful recipes pair perfectly with this salad:
Take Your Summer Spread to the Next Level!
Whether you’re hosting a casual backyard get-together or prepping lunches for the week, this Antipasto Pasta Salad is the colorful, crave-worthy dish that does it all. It’s tangy, satisfying, and just bursting with Mediterranean charm.
Don’t forget to ♥ save this recipe and share it with fellow foodies! And if you give it a try, we’d love to hear how it went—leave a comment or tag us in your creations.
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