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Looking for the perfect picnic salad? This zesty Italian antipasto salad has all the best flavors-cured meats, olives, cheese, peppers, and tender tortellini-tossed in a quick homemade dressing. It's one of my go-to side dishes for potlucks, BBQs, or when I need a make-ahead lunch that's bold, hearty, and bursting with flavor.
Antipasto is a traditional Italian first course consisting of cured meats, olives, peppers, and other vegetables. This is my version of zesty antipasto, but in easy-to-make salad form!
This Italian Antipasto Salad is perfect for a Summer BBQ, potluck dinner, or neighborhood picnic! Pair it with my Grilled Caprese Chicken, BBQ Ribs, or Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken Wings!
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Ingredient Notes for this Recipe
- Tortellini - You can use dried, frozen, or fresh tortellini for this antipasto salad recipe. Whichever you use, the tortellini needs to be cooked, drained of water, and completely cooled.
- Peppers - I use pre-roasted and pre-sliced peppers to save time. You can also buy them whole and slice them yourself. Make sure to drain the excess liquid from the jar! For extra veggies, throw in marinated mushrooms, artichokes, or spice it up a bit with hot giardiniera!
- Olives - My favorite in this salad is plain black pitted olives. For a bit more zing, try kalamata olives or Castelvetrano olives.
- Cheese - Pearl-sized mozzarella balls are ready to use and are a time-saver. If your grocery store doesn't carry them, cube a larger ball of fresh mozzarella instead. Provolone cut into small cubes is another great alternative.
- Meats - I found whole salami and pepperoni cut into cubes to work best. Sliced deli meat sticks together and doesn't mix in well. Other additions that I like are mortadella or cappicola. For a vegetarian version, omit the meat.
How to Make a Cold Antipasto Salad
Mix the Salad Ingredients - First, combine the tortellini, peppers, olives, cheese, and meats into a large bowl and toss to combine.
Shake the Dressing - Next, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt in a small bowl or mason jar and stir or shake to combine.
Dress, Toss, and Chill - Lastly, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results.
Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
Amanda's Expert Tips
- After cooking and draining your tortellini, toss it with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking while it's cooling.
- Cool the tortellini completely before adding it to the other ingredients, or it will get mushy.
- Use a mason jar to shake the ingredients for the dressing, then you can easily pour from here into the salad.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover antipasto salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Picnic Side Dishes
If you loved this antipasto salad recipe, check out these other picnic sides that I know you will love!
Recipe
Italian Antipasto Salad with Tortellini
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cooked cheese tortellini, approximately 12 ounces dried
- ½ cup sliced roasted red peppers, drained
- ⅓ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers, drained
- 1 can large black pitted olives, drained
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese balls
- 8 ounces salami, diced into small cubes
- 8 ounces pepperoni, diced into small cubes
- 3 ounces extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ounce red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the tortellini, both peppers, olives, cheese, salami, and pepperoni. Toss to combine.
- In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt. Stir or shake until ingredients are completely mixed together.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results.
Notes
- Tortellini - Dried, frozen, or fresh tortellini can be used. It just needs to be cooked, drained of water, and completely cooled.
- Peppers - Either pre-sliced peppers or peppers that are whole, and you slice on your own, will work. Make sure to drain the liquid from the peppers before adding them to the salad.
- Olives - Kalamata olives or Castelvetrano olives are other alternatives.
- Cheese - Small pearl-sized mozzarella balls or a larger mozzarella ball cut into smaller pieces would work. Cubed provolone cheese will also work.
- Meats - Small cubes of salami and pepperoni work better than sliced. Mortadella or cappicola would also be good alternatives.
- Storage - Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
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