Pepperoncini Pasta Salad – Veggie Impressed

June 14, 2024

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This crowd-pleasing Pepperoncini Pasta Salad is herby, tangy, and filled with taste! Excellent for summer time picnics, potlucks, yard BBQs, or packed into lunchboxes for varsity or work. It’s fast and straightforward to make in beneath half-hour.

Pepperoncini Pasta Salad in a large bowl with fresh parsley scattered around the bowl.

This straightforward Pepperoncini Pasta Salad has all of it! Texture and taste, fast and straightforward, nutritious and scrumptious, and customizable.

It’s one in every of my go-to facet dishes and I hope it is going to be come yours, too!

Elements you want

Recipe ingredients arrayed in individual bowls.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Pasta ~ I used rotini pasta, additionally referred to as fusilli, for this vegan pasta salad. Any medium form pasta would work, like penne, farfalle, medium shells, gemelli, and so forth.
Gluten-free pasta will work simply as nicely.
Peppers ~ I used a yellow bell pepper for this pictures, however a crimson bell pepper or orange bell pepper would work simply as nicely. I don’t love inexperienced bell peppers for pasta salads as they aren’t fairly as candy and have a tendency on the bitter facet when eaten uncooked.
Pepperoncini ~ I purchase sliced pepperoncini peppers in a jar. Should you purchase them entire, you’ll need to slice them. Slice them into skinny rings or strips, whichever you favor.
Different veggies ~ Diced crimson onion, halved grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), and sliced cucumber spherical out the greens on this pasta salad. Inexperienced onion could be a tasty different to crimson onion if that’s what you may have.
Different vegetable choices: sliced zucchini, chopped broccoli, chopped artichokes or shredded carrots would all be yummy additions or substitutions.
Herbs ~ This recipe requires dried oregano and contemporary chopped parsley. Contemporary basil could be nice, too.
Dressing ~ The dressing is a do-it-yourself crimson wine French dressing. It has a robust punchy taste with the addition of the brine from the jar of pepperoncini.
For my part, the pepperoncini brine is what takes this pasta salad from good to nice! Whereas it’d seem to be a robust ingredient by itself, as soon as it’s combined with the opposite substances, it’s the right taste. I don’t counsel leaving it out.
This recipe makes just a little over a cup of French dressing. It’d seem to be rather a lot, however you want all of it to maintain the pasta salad from drying out. Don’t skimp on the dressing!
Should you choose a creamier dressing in your pasta salad recipes, you’ll love this Vegan Macaroni Salad, Creamy Balsamic Pasta Salad, or Southwest Black Bean Pasta Salad!
Extras ~ Generally I’ll throw in some cubes of vegan feta if I occur to have it, however it’s an elective ingredient. Vegan parmesan cheese or dietary yeast might also be added for a tacky element.
Black olives are sometimes present in Italian pasta salads like this one. Should you like them, be at liberty so as to add them.
Arugula or child spinach could be an important addition to this dish, as nicely.
Be happy so as to add some chickpeas, diced baked tofu, or vegan pepperoni for some added protein.

How one can make the recipe

Please scroll all the way down to the recipe card for actual ingredient measurements and directions.

Step 1: Cook dinner the pasta in well-salted water till simply previous the al dente stage. Drain it nicely then return it to the pot, drizzle with olive oil, and stir nicely to coat. Put aside to chill barely, stirring often to forestall clumping.

Red wine vinaigrette in a small glass bowl with a whisk.

Step 2: Whisk the French dressing substances in a bowl. Put aside.

Chopped veggies arrayed in a mixing bowl.

Step 3: Add the chopped veggies, dried oregano, and contemporary parsley to a big mixing bowl.

Cooked pasta added to the bowl of chopped vegetables.

Step 4: As soon as the pasta is cool to the contact add it to the massive bowl with the veggies.

Finished Pepperoncini Pasta Salad in a large mixing bowl.

Step 5: Add the French dressing and toss every part nicely to mix.

Serving ideas

Whereas this Pepperoncini Pasta Salad may completely be a meal by itself, it’s usually served as a facet dish. Listed here are some tasty methods to serve it…

Or just pour a glass of glowing lemonade or your favourite chilled white wine and revel in a bowl of pasta salad for a light-weight dinner in your patio. Ahhh.

A serving of pepperoncini pasta salad on a plate with a fork, three orange slices and 3 radishes.

Storage and freezing

Make forward: This Pepperoncini Pasta Salad is ideal for meal prep. It simply will get higher because it sits because the pasta and veggies take in the do-it-yourself dressing. Make it a day prematurely and retailer it within the fridge in an hermetic container till able to serve. Toss nicely earlier than serving to redistribute the dressing all through.

Fridge: Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.

Freezer: I don’t advocate freezing this pasta salad.

Professional ideas and methods

Cook dinner the pasta in well-salted water!
Cook dinner the pasta simply previous the al dente stage. You need it tender and cooked by, however not overcooked and mushy.
Drain the pasta nicely after which drizzle it in a little bit of olive oil so it doesn’t stick collectively. Put aside to chill for about quarter-hour, stirring often to forestall clumping.
As soon as the pasta is cool to the contact, however not utterly chilly, toss it with the French dressing.
Let the pasta salad chill within the fridge for a number of hours as much as a day prematurely to permit the flavors to mingle.
All the time style and modify seasoning as crucial!
To make this recipe gluten-free, use your favourite gluten-free pasta.

Close up overhead view of the finished dish.

FAQs

Ought to I rinse pasta for pasta salad?

This appears to be a controversial matter. Personally, I don’t advocate rinsing the pasta. As an alternative, drain it nicely, then drizzle some olive oil over the previous and blend nicely. Stir often to forestall clumping whereas it cools down a bit. As soon as the pasta is cool to the contact toss it within the pasta salad dressing.

Must you let pasta cool earlier than making pasta salad?

Let the pasta settle down a bit, about quarter-hour, however not till it’s utterly chilly. You need the pasta to soak up a few of the dressing for max taste, however not a lot that it dries out. As soon as the pasta is cool to the contact, it’s good to go for dressing.

Close up of rotini pasta and chopped veggies mixed together with a vinaigrette in a bowl.

Extra BBQ facet dishes

I hope you love this recipe as a lot as we do! Should you tried it, please use the star score system within the recipe card and go away a remark along with your suggestions. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For even simpler household recipes, be sure you take a look at my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Household Cookbook!