Italian Grinder Pasta Salad is a cold pasta salad with all the sandwich-shop ingredients people want in a grinder, but served in a bowl with rotini pasta.
You’ll use turkey, ham, salami, provolone, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, romaine, banana peppers, red onion, black olives, and parsley.
The creamy grinder dressing is made with Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, banana pepper juice, Dijon mustard, and Italian seasonings.
This is the recipe to make when lunch needs to feel less boring, dinner needs to be ready without a whole production, or the fridge needs something you can grab and serve. It has pasta, protein, vegetables, cheese, and dressing all mixed into one bowl.
A large mixing bowl, a colander, and a whisk help keep the prep organized. This pasta salad works well for meal prep, cookouts, potlucks, and busy weeknights when you want something cold, filling, and ready to go.
Why You’ll Love This Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Deli Grinder Flavor In Pasta Salad Form
This recipe has the same ingredients you’d expect in an Italian grinder, including deli meats, provolone, banana peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and olives.
Good For Lunch Or Dinner
It works as a main course because it has pasta, meat, cheese, vegetables, and dressing in one bowl.
Great For Meal Prep
You can make it ahead and keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve.
Creamy Dressing Without Being Heavy
Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise make the dressing creamy, while red wine vinegar and banana pepper juice keep it tangy.
Ingredient Substitutions
Rotini Pasta
Use penne, bow ties, shells, or any short pasta that holds dressing well.
Deli Turkey Breast
Use roasted chicken breast or more ham if you don’t have turkey.
Deli Ham
Use extra turkey, chicken, or roast beef.
Hard Salami
Use turkey pepperoni, regular pepperoni, or leave it out for a lighter deli-style pasta salad.
Provolone Cheese
Use mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Swiss, or reduced-fat Italian cheese blend.
Banana Peppers
Use pepperoncini for a similar tangy bite.
Black Olives
Use green olives, kalamata olives, or leave them out.
Greek Yogurt
Use plain regular yogurt. The dressing may be a little thinner.
Light Mayonnaise
Use regular mayonnaise or a little extra Greek yogurt.
Red Wine Vinegar
Use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links where I make a small commission if you purchase anything after clicking a link. There is no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Recipes are written with one action per step for accessibility. Short lines. Fewer rereads. A calmer kitchen on mobile or desktop.
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad:
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
- 6 ounces deli turkey breast chopped
- 4 ounces deli ham chopped
- 2 ounces hard salami chopped
- 4 ounces provolone cheese chopped
- ½ cup banana peppers chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion finely diced
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
For the Creamy Grinder Dressing:
- ½ cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
- ¼ cup light Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon banana pepper juice
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until tender.
- Drain the pasta in a colander. Rinse the pasta under cold water until cool. Drain the pasta well.
- Add the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, romaine lettuce, turkey, ham, salami, provolone cheese, banana peppers, red onion, black olives, and parsley.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, banana pepper juice, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, black pepper, and salt.
- Using a wire whisk, mix the dressing until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad. Toss until the pasta salad is evenly coated.
- Cover the pasta salad. Place the pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Stir before serving.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Hold back some dressing if making ahead – Save a few spoonfuls of dressing and stir it in right before serving if the pasta absorbs too much while chilling. Add the romaine closer to serving for more crunch – If you’re making this several hours ahead, stir in the romaine before serving. Taste after chilling – Cold pasta can mute seasoning. Add a small pinch of salt or a splash of banana pepper juice if needed.Storing
Store in the refrigerator – Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Stir before serving – The dressing may settle as it chills. Do not freeze – Pasta, lettuce, cucumber, and creamy dressing do not freeze well.Nutrition
Shop our kitchen essentials and favorite cooking tools in our Amazon Storefront.
You May Also Like
