Go Back

Grinder Pasta Salad

Grinder pasta salad is a deli-style Italian sub turned into a chilled rotini pasta salad. It’s loaded with Italian meats, cubed provolone, banana peppers, and a tangy Italian dressing for a layered, grinder-sandwich vibe.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

rotini pasta
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
salami
  • 8 oz salami
ham
  • 8 oz ham
turkey
  • 8 oz turkey
provolone cheese
  • 8 oz provolone cheese
iceberg lettuce
  • 2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
banana peppers
  • 1 cup banana peppers
red onion
  • 0.5 cup red onion
Italian dressing
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt
  • Salt to taste
black pepper
  • pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and help it stay firm (about 10 minutes total).
  2. Let the rinsed rotini sit until cool to the touch (about 5 minutes), so the dressing won’t break down the mix.
Build the grinder-style salad
  1. Combine pasta, salami, ham, turkey, provolone cheese, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, and red onion in a large bowl.
  2. Mix Italian dressing, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste in a separate container until smooth.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated and glistening.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld and the dressing fully clings to the pasta (cover the bowl).
Finish with lettuce
  1. Just before serving, add shredded iceberg lettuce and toss again so it stays crisp.

Notes

For best texture, keep the lettuce out until right before serving so it doesn’t wilt in the chilled dressing. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; for the freshest bite, add a fresh handful of lettuce when serving again. Freezing is not recommended due to the lettuce and dairy texture. For a lighter option, use low-sodium meats or reduced-fat provolone to cut sodium while keeping the classic grinder flavors.