I've been making Antipasto Pasta Salad for almost my entire adult life. It's one of those things that is readily asked for in the Spring and Summer in my house and everyone can find something about it at that they love!

The original idea for this pasta salad came some years ago back when I was in high school. There was a great italian restaurant that we used to go to on occasion that served something similar as an appetizer and we were all hooked on it.

I've lightened this recipe up by adding a lot more vegetables than the original had. I also like to use whole wheat tortellini and olives and artichoke hearts that have not been packed in oil. I used to use a firm mozzarella (block) to cube and put in this pasta salad, but over the years I've moved to fresh mozzarella since it's one of my favorite cheeses. Especially after it's been marinating with the dressing and vegetables.

I really thought long and hard about making a homemade italian dressing to go over this, but part of the beauty of this salad is it's simplicity and ease of tossing it together. That being said, if you have a favorite homemade dressing that you enjoy, this would be a great place to use it if you have the time!

Yum! This stuff is so amazingly delicious. I wish I had some leftover still. (Sigh.)

Speaking of leftovers, this pasta salad is even BETTER after being left to sit overnight in the fridge. The noodles and vegetables soak up the dressing and it all just comes together so well. This is truly one of my most favorite recipes in the world.

As a side note, I got two slices of pepperoni and two slices of hard salami cut from my deli on a #10 (the thickest.) This gave me about 1/4 lb. of each meat to cut into 'cubes' as I wanted. But, you could just as easily use the small thin sliced pepperoni or salami.

Skinny Antipasto Pasta Salad

Yield: 8

Author: The Skinny Fork (Amanda Plott)

Prep time: 5 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 5 M

An Italian pasta salad that's easy to make and super delicious. Cheese tortellini, pepperoni, salami, mozzarella, and plenty of veggies!

Ingredients

9 Oz. Mixed Cheese Tortellini, Cooked
2 C. Fresh Cauliflower Florets
1 C. Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
1 C. Olives, Drained
1/2 C. Pepperoncinis
1/2 C. Artichoke Hearts
4 Oz. Reduced Fat Mozzarella, Cubed
1/4 Lb. Hard Salami, Cubed
1/4 Lb. Pepperoni, Cubed
1/2 C. Light Italian Dressing

Instructions

Toss everything in a large bowl together.
Stir carefully to combine.
Cover and set in the fridge for at least an hour to cool, but overnight is preferred!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

343.36

Fat (grams)

22.12 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

7.32 g

Carbs (grams)

20.73 g

Fiber (grams)

3.17 g

Net carbs

17.56 g

Sugar (grams)

4.07 g

Protein (grams)

15.46 g

Sodium (milligrams)

1312.21 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

46.14 mg

Nutritional Claims: Sugar Conscious • Egg Free • Peanut Free • Tree Nut Free • Fish Free • Shellfish Free • Crustacean Free • Celery Free • Mustard Free • Sesame Free • Lupine Free • Mollusk Free • Alcohol Free • No Sugar Added