Classic Italian Macaroni Salad

I grew up thinking macaroni salad was that sweet, mayo-heavy side dish you’d find at every summer cookout and grocery store deli counter. And honestly? I wasn’t a fan. The mushy pasta, the overly creamy dressing—it just wasn’t doing it for me.

Then I tried an Italian version at a friend’s potluck, and everything changed. Instead of mayonnaise, it had a bright red wine vinaigrette. Instead of bland additions, it was packed with salami, two kinds of cheese, olives, and pepperoncinis. It actually had flavor and texture. The pasta had a bite to it, and every forkful tasted like an Italian sub in salad form.

Now this is the only macaroni salad I make. It holds up great at room temperature, gets better as it sits, and people actually go back for seconds. No sad, mayo-drenched pasta here—just good ingredients tossed with a simple dressing that lets everything shine.

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What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

For Italian macaroni salad, you’ll want to pick a pasta shape that can hold onto all that tasty dressing and catch the smaller ingredients in its nooks and crannies. Short, tubular shapes like cavatappi, penne, rotini, or classic elbow macaroni all work great here. I personally love cavatappi because those spiral ridges really grab the dressing, but honestly, use whatever short pasta you have in your pantry. Just steer clear of long noodles like spaghetti or fettuccine – they don’t mix well in pasta salad and make it harder to get a good bite with all the ingredients together.

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Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is super forgiving and easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Cavatappi pasta: Any short pasta shape works great here – try rotini, penne, farfalle, or fusilli. They all hold the dressing nicely and are easy to eat.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can step in if needed. The flavor will be slightly different but still tasty.
• Kalamata olives: Not a fan of kalamata olives? Use green olives, black olives, or even marinated artichoke hearts for a different twist.
• Persian cucumbers: Regular cucumbers work fine – just peel them and scoop out the seeds before dicing to avoid excess water in your salad.
• Salami: Feel free to swap with pepperoni, soppressata, or even diced ham. For a vegetarian version, just leave it out and add more veggies like bell peppers or artichokes.
• Fresh mozzarella pearls: Regular mozzarella cut into cubes or even cubed cheddar can work. Just keep in mind that fresh mozzarella has a creamier texture.
• Fresh Italian parsley: Fresh basil makes a great substitute and adds a classic Italian flavor. You can also use a mix of both herbs.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is still warm, which causes the noodles to absorb too much liquid and leaves you with a dry salad by the time you serve it – always let your pasta cool completely first.

Undercooking your pasta is another common error since it needs to be cooked fully (not al dente like for hot dishes) or it will taste hard and chewy once chilled, so aim for the longer end of the package directions.

Don’t skip tossing the hot pasta with those 3 tablespoons of olive oil right after draining, as this prevents clumping and keeps each piece separate and easy to mix with the other ingredients.

For the best flavor, let your garlic sit in the vinegar for those few minutes as directed – this mellows out the raw garlic bite and creates a smoother, more balanced dressing that won’t overpower the salad.

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What to Serve With Italian Macaroni Salad?

Italian macaroni salad is pretty much a complete meal on its own since it’s loaded with cheese, salami, and veggies, but it really shines at cookouts and potlucks alongside grilled meats. I love serving it with grilled chicken, burgers, or Italian sausages hot off the grill – the cool, tangy pasta salad is the perfect contrast to anything smoky and charred. It also pairs great with simple proteins like rotisserie chicken or even just some crusty bread and extra olive oil for dipping. If you’re feeding a crowd, round out the spread with some garlic knots, a big green salad, or even just some chips and dip to keep things easy and relaxed.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better as it sits! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors will meld together nicely overnight, making it perfect for making a day ahead of your gathering or meal prep for the week.

Refresh: The pasta tends to soak up the dressing as it sits, so you might want to give it a good stir and add a splash of olive oil or a bit more red wine vinegar before serving. This brings back that fresh, zesty flavor and keeps everything nice and coated.

Serve: I like to take this salad out of the fridge about 15-20 minutes before serving so it’s not ice cold. Cold pasta salad can taste a bit muted, and letting it come closer to room temperature really brings out all those Italian flavors.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4700-5200
• Protein: 110-130 g
• Fat: 320-350 g
• Carbohydrates: 330-370 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 lb rotini pasta
• 3 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved lengthwise)
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives (sliced)
• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncinis
• 3 English cucumbers (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch half-moons)
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella (cubed into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 8 oz sharp provolone (cubed)
• 8 oz genoa salami (diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 small red onion (finely diced, about 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (chiffonade)

For the dressing:

• 3 cloves garlic (freshly minced)
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 3/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives
• 3 English cucumbers
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella
• 8 oz sharp provolone
• 8 oz genoa salami
• 1 small red onion
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic

While the pasta water comes to a boil, prepare all your vegetables and proteins to save time during assembly.

Halve the cherry tomatoes lengthwise, slice the kalamata olives, cut the cucumbers into half-moons, cube the fresh mozzarella and provolone into 1/2-inch pieces, dice the genoa salami, finely dice the red onion, chop the fresh parsley, and cut the basil into thin ribbons (chiffonade).

Mince the garlic fresh—this matters for flavor.

Having everything prepped and ready means you can focus on building the salad efficiently once the pasta cools.

Step 2: Cook and Cool the Pasta

• 1 lb rotini pasta
• 3 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 3 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt—the water should taste like seawater.

Add the rotini and cook until just al dente (tender but still slightly firm), about 9-11 minutes depending on your brand.

Drain the pasta in a colander, then immediately toss it with the 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil while still warm.

This prevents sticking and helps the pasta absorb flavors better.

Spread the pasta on a large sheet pan or shallow bowl and let it cool to room temperature, about 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: Build the Vinaigrette

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 3/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, combine the freshly minced garlic with the red wine vinegar and let them sit together for 2-3 minutes—this softens the raw garlic bite and allows the flavors to meld.

Whisk in the Dijon mustard, dried oregano, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and granulated sugar until the sugar dissolves.

I like to add the sugar because it balances the acidity of the vinegar without making the dressing sweet.

Slowly drizzle in the 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil while whisking constantly to create an emulsion, then finish with the crushed red pepper flakes.

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Step 4: Combine and Toss the Salad

• cooled pasta from Step 2
• prepared vegetables and proteins from Step 1
• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncinis
• vinaigrette from Step 3

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled pasta with all the prepared vegetables, cheeses, and salami from Step 1.

Add the sliced pepperoncinis to the mix as well.

Pour the vinaigrette from Step 3 over the salad and toss everything together gently but thoroughly, making sure the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly.

I recommend tossing by hand or with salad servers rather than a spoon—you’ll get better distribution and won’t break up the delicate mozzarella.

Let the salad sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• combined salad from Step 4

Fold in the chopped fresh parsley and basil chiffonade just before serving to keep the herbs bright and vibrant.

Taste one more time and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed—the salad should be well-seasoned and tangy.

Transfer to a serving platter or keep in the bowl for family-style serving.

This salad can be made a few hours ahead and tastes even better as the flavors develop, though I add the fresh herbs right before serving to maintain their color and texture.

Classic Italian Macaroni Salad

Delicious Classic Italian Macaroni Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 9 servings

Calories 4950 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad

• 1 lb rotini pasta
• 3 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved lengthwise)
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives (sliced)
• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncinis
• 3 English cucumbers (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch half-moons)
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella (cubed into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 8 oz sharp provolone (cubed)
• 8 oz genoa salami (diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 small red onion (finely diced, about 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (chiffonade)

For the dressing

• 3 cloves garlic (freshly minced)
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 3/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

 

• While the pasta water comes to a boil, prepare all your vegetables and proteins to save time during assembly. Halve the cherry tomatoes lengthwise, slice the kalamata olives, cut the cucumbers into half-moons, cube the fresh mozzarella and provolone into 1/2-inch pieces, dice the genoa salami, finely dice the red onion, chop the fresh parsley, and cut the basil into thin ribbons (chiffonade). Mince the garlic fresh—this matters for flavor. Having everything prepped and ready means you can focus on building the salad efficiently once the pasta cools.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 3 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt—the water should taste like seawater. Add the rotini and cook until just al dente (tender but still slightly firm), about 9-11 minutes depending on your brand. Drain the pasta in a colander, then immediately toss it with the 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil while still warm. This prevents sticking and helps the pasta absorb flavors better. Spread the pasta on a large sheet pan or shallow bowl and let it cool to room temperature, about 10-15 minutes.
• In a small bowl, combine the freshly minced garlic with the red wine vinegar and let them sit together for 2-3 minutes—this softens the raw garlic bite and allows the flavors to meld. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, dried oregano, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and granulated sugar until the sugar dissolves. I like to add the sugar because it balances the acidity of the vinegar without making the dressing sweet. Slowly drizzle in the 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil while whisking constantly to create an emulsion, then finish with the crushed red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
• In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled pasta with all the prepared vegetables, cheeses, and salami from Step 1. Add the sliced pepperoncinis to the mix as well. Pour the vinaigrette from Step 3 over the salad and toss everything together gently but thoroughly, making sure the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly. I recommend tossing by hand or with salad servers rather than a spoon—you'll get better distribution and won't break up the delicate mozzarella. Let the salad sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
• Fold in the chopped fresh parsley and basil chiffonade just before serving to keep the herbs bright and vibrant. Taste one more time and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed—the salad should be well-seasoned and tangy. Transfer to a serving platter or keep in the bowl for family-style serving. This salad can be made a few hours ahead and tastes even better as the flavors develop, though I add the fresh herbs right before serving to maintain their color and texture.