Italian Grinder Pasta Salad Recipe

The Italian grinder sandwich, identified in numerous elements of the nation as a hoagie, hero, or sub, is beloved for its daring layers of cured meats, cheeses, pickled peppers, and tangy dressing piled excessive on a crusty roll. Right here, those self same flavors are remodeled right into a pasta salad that’s each bit as hearty and satisfying as the unique sandwich, however designed for simple sharing at cookouts, sport day spreads, or weeknight dinners.

This pasta salad leans into the distinction of textures and flavors that makes the sandwich so in style. Chewy pasta, sharp cubes of provolone, and salty bites of salami and pepperoni mimic the heft of the sandwich whereas the brilliant pops of cherry tomatoes and zesty pepperoncini hold issues recent and full of life. The tangy crimson wine vinegar–mayonnaise dressing ties the whole lot along with a creamy kick. Completed with crunchy croutons on prime, it’s received all of the makings of an on the spot traditional.

Past its daring taste, this recipe is very adaptable. Swap in your favourite pasta form, alter the meats and cheeses to fit your preferences, and even lean vegetarian by skipping the cured meats and loading up on marinated veggies. The dressing is a workhorse, equally good drizzled over inexperienced salads or as a dip for crudités.

Soak the onions

Soaking uncooked crimson onion in vinegar works like fast pickling, softening the vegetable’s sharp, pungent chunk whereas infusing it with tangy brightness. The acid within the vinegar breaks down sulfur compounds that trigger harshness, mellowing the flavour with out shedding onion’s pure sweetness and crunch. 

In simply 10 minutes, the onion transforms right into a zesty, palate-friendly ingredient that provides brightness and stability to creamy dressings, salads, or sandwiches with out overpowering the opposite flavors on the plate.

Head to the deli

The deli counter is the very best place to supply meats and cheeses as a result of you may have the whole lot sliced precisely to your specs. Need paper-thin pepperoni that folds effortlessly into pasta salad? The deli can do this. Want provolone reduce into thicker slabs for simple cubing? They’ll deal with it. 

Procuring the deli ensures freshness, customizable cuts, and infrequently a wider choice than prepackaged choices. Plus, you should purchase simply the quantity you want, lowering waste and value.

Notes from the Meals & Wine Check Kitchen

• The pasta will be swapped with rotini, penne, or farfalle, or something with ridges that maintain dressing effectively.
• Banana peppers will be swapped for pepperoncini. 
• To make this spicy, add a punch of crushed crimson pepper flakes to the dressing.

This recipe was developed by Giovanna Vazquez; the textual content was written by Breana Killeen.