Marios in Westport Pasta Salad
Transport your taste buds to the Mediterranean with Marios in Westport Pasta Salad, a vibrant and hearty dish perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a fresh weeknight dinner. Featuring tender penne pasta tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp English cucumber, briny kalamata olives, and tangy pepperoncini peppers, this salad is elevated with savory slices of salami and creamy mozzarella pearls. A zesty homemade dressing of extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic ties it all together, letting the bold flavors shine. Fresh basil adds an aromatic finish, making every bite a celebration of classic Italian-inspired ingredients. Ready in just 30 minutes, this pasta salad is as easy to make as it is to love, and it tastes even better chilled! Perfect for serving a crowd, this dish is guaranteed to be the star of any gathering.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 small red onion
- 0.5 cups kalamata olives
- 0.25 cups pepperoncini peppers
- 4 ounces salami, sliced into thin strips
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls
- 0.5 cups fresh basil leaves
- 0.25 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 0.5 teaspoons salt
- 0.25 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Set aside.
While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber into bite-sized pieces, thinly slice the red onion, and chop the kalamata olives and pepperoncini peppers. Set all vegetables aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, pepperoncini peppers, salami slices, mozzarella pearls, and fresh basil leaves.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss everything together until evenly coated.
Let the pasta salad sit for 15–20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve chilled.
Garnish with additional fresh basil leaves if desired before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
427 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 28.8 g | 37% | |
| Saturated Fat | 9.1 g | 45% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 41 mg | 14% | |
| Sodium | 1055 mg | 46% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 26.7 g | 10% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.5 g | 12% | |
| Total Sugars | 4.5 g | ||
| Protein | 15.8 g | 32% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 193 mg | 15% | |
| Iron | 2.1 mg | 12% | |
| Potassium | 377 mg | 8% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
