Antipasto Pasta Salad
Antipasto platters have always been one of my favourite things to put together for a gathering, so turning those same flavours into a pasta salad just made sense. This Antipasto Pasta Salad has roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, creamy cannellini beans, fresh dill, and lots of shaved Parmesan, all tossed together with curly pasta and a bright lemon vinaigrette that ties everything together.
It’s hearty enough to be lunch on its own but also makes an incredible side for BBQs and summer dinners. The best part is that it actually gets better after a few hours in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep or making ahead before guests arrive.
And if you want to lean even further into the antipasto vibes, it’s easy to customize with ingredients like salami, soppressata, olives, fresh mozzarella, or whatever you’d normally reach for on a charcuterie board!
If you’re looking for more pasta salad inspiration:
- Bruschetta Pasta Salad
- Roasted Corn & Burst Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad
- Elote Pasta Salad
- Toasted Orzo Pasta Salad with Greens, Burrata & Garlic Breadcrumbs
- Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad
- High Protein Pasta Salad with Lemon Pepper Vinaigrette
- Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad
Why You’ll Love this Recipe:
- ALL the Mediterranean flavours: Roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, creamy cannellini beans, fresh dill, and plenty of Parmesan make every bite better than the last.
- Perfect for meal prep: It holds up beautifully in the fridge, and the flavours only get better, so it’s ideal for lunches and make-ahead meals.
- The perfect vinaigrette: Olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and flavourful artichoke marinade come together to create a bright, tangy dressing that comes together quickly and ties the whole salad together.
- Easy to customize: If you’d find it on an antipasto platter or charcuterie board, chances are it’ll be delicious here too. Try adding salami, olives, fresh mozzarella, provolone, or your favourite cured meats, pickled veggies, and cheeses.
Prep for Antipasto Pasta Salad:
- Chop the peppers into bite-sized pieces. I prefer roasting fresh peppers when I have the time because they keep a little more texture, but jarred roasted red peppers work perfectly too.
- Mince the red onion. You can place it in ice water for 15 minutes to mellow out the flavour, if you prefer.
- Strain the artichoke hearts from the marinade and give them a rough chop. You’ll use some of the marinade in the dressing.
- Drain and rinse the cannellini beans.
- Rinse the fresh dill and tear/chop it into pieces.
- Shave the parmesan cheese with a veggie peeler if not using pre-shaved.
How to Make Antipasto Pasta Salad:
Step One:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Step Two:
Add the chopped red peppers to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the edges are browned and slightly blistered. Set aside to cool until you’re ready to assemble. Skip steps 1 and 2 if you’re using jarred roasted red peppers.
Step Three:
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook according to package instructions, or until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Add to a large bowl and toss with a small drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Step Four: Make the Dressing
Add the olive oil, artichoke marinade oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, grated garlic, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes to a bowl or jar. Thoroughly whisk together until well combined.
Step Five: Assemble the Salad
Add the roasted peppers, red onion, cannellini beans, and artichoke hearts to the large bowl of pasta, along with any optional add-ins like olives, salami, and/or soppressata.
Step Six:
Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is evenly coated. Gently fold in the dill and shaved Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (more salt or a squeeze of lemon). Serve immediately, or keep chilled in the fridge until ready to serve!
Substitutions for Antipasto Pasta Salad:
Pasta: I used a shape from Zelli called “Soup Noodles,” but anything with ridges would be perfect—mafalde corte and reginetti are super similar, or something like fusilli will work great too.
Red peppers: Sub in orange/yellow bell peppers if you don’t have red. If you want to swap the peppers entirely, try chopped tomatoes or sundried tomatoes.
Artichoke hearts: Can be swapped for something else briny like olives, capers, or pepperoncini.
Red Onion: A minced shallot can also be used for this recipe.
Cannellini beans: Navy beans, great northern beans, or even chickpeas if you prefer them would be great here.
Parmesan: I like the saltiness of the parm here, but sub for any cheese you like (pecorino, mozzarella pearls, feta) or leave it out.
Dill: Any fresh herbs you like work here such as chopped basil or Italian parsley.
How to Store Antipasto Pasta Salad:
Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
I like prepping into small containers to grab for quick lunches. Right before eating the leftovers, I like to mix in a drizzle of olive oil & a bit of lemon juice to freshen it up!
It turns out that combining an antipasto platter with a pasta salad is a perfect meal. Tag me on social if you try it out, @britacooks! xx
Antipasto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb short pasta anything with ridges!
- 3 red bell peppers chopped (or 1.5 cups jarred roasted red peppers, strained and chopped)
- 2 tbsp olive oil for roasting (skip if using jarred)
- Salt and pepper for roasting (skip if using jarred)
- ½ small red onion minced (option to soak in ice water to mellow out for 10-15 min)
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts strained and chopped (reserve 1 tbsp of the marinade oil)
- 1 cup shaved Parmesan
- ¼ cup fresh dill roughly chopped
- Optional: ½ cup Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives halved
- Optional: 3-4 oz salami or soppressata cut into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Add the chopped red peppers to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the edges are browned and slightly blistered. Set aside to cool until you’re ready to assemble. Skip steps 1 and 2 if you’re using jarred roasted red peppers.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook according to package instructions, or until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Add to a large bowl and toss with a small drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Make the Vinaigrette: Add the olive oil, artichoke marinade oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, grated garlic, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes to a bowl or jar. Thoroughly whisk together until well combined.
- Assemble the Salad: Add the roasted peppers, red onion, cannellini beans, and artichoke hearts to the large bowl of pasta, along with any optional add-ins like olives, salami, and/or soppressata.
- Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is evenly coated. Gently fold in the dill and shaved Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (more salt or a squeeze of lemon). Serve immediately, or keep chilled in the fridge until ready to serve!
What Did You Think?
Rate & Review
Join the Club