New Orleans Muffuletta Pasta (Printable)
A vibrant salad with pasta, olives, pickled vegetables, and halal deli meats tossed in a zesty Italian dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta Base
01 - 14 oz rotini or penne pasta
→ Halal Deli Meats & Cheese
02 - 3.5 oz halal turkey breast, sliced and chopped
03 - 3.5 oz halal beef salami, sliced and chopped
04 - 3.5 oz provolone cheese, sliced and chopped
→ Olive Salad Mix
05 - 4 oz pitted green olives, roughly chopped
06 - 3 oz pitted black olives, roughly chopped
07 - 3.5 oz jarred roasted red peppers, drained and diced
08 - 2 oz giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables), drained and chopped
09 - 2 tbsp capers, drained
10 - 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
→ Zesty Italian Dressing
11 - 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
15 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta with halal turkey, beef salami, provolone, green and black olives, roasted red peppers, giardiniera, capers, and parsley.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
05 - Serve chilled or at room temperature. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired. Pairs excellently with crusty bread.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Every forkful delivers that incredible salty tangy briny punch that makes muffulettas legendary
- The pasta salad format means you can feed a crowd without individual sandwich assembly
- Flavors actually improve after a few hours in the fridge making it perfect for make ahead meals
02 -
- Rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water or it will continue cooking and become mushy while absorbing all the dressing
- The salad needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge but I've found it's actually better after a few hours when flavors really develop
- Taste before adding extra salt since the olives giardiniera and capers bring significant saltiness to the dish
03 -
- Chop all your ingredients into similar small pieces so every forkful contains the perfect ratio of flavors
- Let the pasta salad sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving to maximize flavor perception