Muffaletta Pasta Salad is full of olive salad, ham, salami, and provolone cheese all tossed in a tangy red wine vinaigrette. Perfect for Mardi Gras or any time you want a little taste of New Orleans.
What Is A Muffaletta?
The muffaletta sandwich is a famous New Orleans sandwich that originated at The Central Grocery in New Orleans. Created by a Sicilian immigrant, the muffaletta is made on a round loaf of bread stuffed with cured meats, cheese, and olive salad. Here is my version of the muffaletta sandwich. I have transformed the muffaletta sandwich into all kinds of recipes. Scroll down for more.
Ingredients needed for Muffaletta Pasta Salad
- Mini Farfalle– you can use another pasta shape if you wish.
- Provolone Cheese– I get thick slices from the deli and chop them into bite-sized pieces, but thiner slices work too.
- Ham– I use deli-sliced ham and have them slice it a little thicker than I would for sandwiches.
- Salami– I use deli-sliced salami.
- Black and Green Olives– You will want to chop them up pretty finely so they get evenly distributed throughout the salad.
- Parsley– adds lots of fresh flavor.
- Pepperoncini Peppers– add some bite to the salad. Add fewer or omit them if you don’t care for them.
- Red Bell Pepper– you can use roasted red pepper instead, but I like the crunch that the fresh adds.
- Celery
- Red Onion– can use green onion if you prefer.
- Giardiniera
Substitutions and Variations
- Use store-bought olive salad instead of making homemade. This is a huge timesaver.
- Use a different pasta shape. Penne, rotini, shells, and macaroni all work well.
- Change up the meats– capicola ham and mortadella are good choices.
- Change up the cheese– Monterey Jack and mozzarella both work well. You can also add a little Parmesan.
Make in Advance
I like to make this pasta salad at least 30 minutes ahead of time and let it refrigerate, but you don’t want to make it too far in advance. If making more than 8 hours in advance, wait to add the dressing.
How To Serve
This pasta salad is a wonderful addition to a Mardi gras Party and it goes great with-
- Burgers
- Southern Baked Chicken
- Molasses Mustard Chicken Thighs
- Pickle-Brined Chicken Tenders
- Pepper Jelly Chicken Wings
- Slow Cooker Brisket
More Muffaletta Recipes
Muffaletta Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces mini farfalle
- 4 ounces Provolone cheese, diced
- 4 ounces ham, diced
- 4 ounces salami, diced
- ½ cup black olives, chopped
- ½ cup green olives, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 4 to 6 pepperonicini peppers, chopped
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup diced celery
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup giardiniera, chopped
Dressing
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in a pot of salted water. Drain well.
- While pasta is cooking, get the other ingredients measured.When pasta is cooked, place it in a large bowl and let it cool some.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix evenly.
- Whisk together red wine vinegar, sugar, oregano, and garlic in a bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour dressing over pasta salad and toss to coat evenly.
- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
