My husband sent me this recipe from @heresyourbite on TikTok with a very simple message: “You need to make this.” And, well, he was right.
Fast forward to our neighborhood cookout, where I brought this Calabrian Chili Pasta Salad, and by the end of the night people were asking if they could take the leftovers home. I don’t know if there’s a bigger compliment when everyone brought something to share, but I’m still riding that high. LOL.
I made a couple of tiny tweaks to the original recipe to make it my own, but I’ve tagged the original creator because this recipe absolutely deserves all the love.
And honestly, the timing couldn’t be better. August is always that point in summer when the heat is just downright disrespectful. The last thing I want is something super heavy, so a cold, flavor-packed pasta salad is exactly what I’m craving.
This one is spicy, tangy, savory, cheesy and loaded with all the good stuff. Think crispy salami, marinated artichokes, spicy olives, pepperoncini, juicy tomatoes and chili garlic mozzarella pearls, all tossed in a homemade Calabrian chili vinaigrette.
Why This Calabrian Chili Pasta Salad Is SO Good
There are pasta salads… and then there are pasta salads that people request to take home.
This is the latter.
The Calabrian peppers give the dressing a spicy kick without completely overpowering everything else. Then you get acidity from the red wine vinegar and pepperoncini brine, saltiness from the Parmesan and olives, freshness from the tomatoes and basil, and plenty of savory goodness from the crispy salami and mozzarella.
Plus, it actually gets better as it sits. That makes it perfect for cookouts, tailgates, pool days, summer parties or any occasion where you want to make something ahead of time and forget about it until you’re ready to eat.
Calabrian Chili Pasta Salad Recipe
For the Calabrian Chili Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pepperoncini brine
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon mayonnaise, optional, but it helps emulsify the dressing
- 1 large garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 to 2 teaspoons crushed Calabrian peppers
- 3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
A quick note: I used crushed Calabrian peppers rather than Calabrian chili paste. Start with one teaspoon if you’re sensitive to spice, or go for the full two if you like a little more heat.
For the Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces pasta
- 8 ounces salami or soppressata, sliced
- 1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup spicy chili olives, chopped
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini, chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounces chili and garlic mozzarella pearls
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
- Freshly cracked black pepper, for serving
How to Make Calabrian Chili Pasta Salad
1. Cook the pasta
Cook your pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain it and allow it to cool completely.
2. Crisp the salami
While the pasta is cooking, add your sliced salami or soppressata to a skillet and sauté until the edges are crispy.
This little extra step is SO worth it. You get those salty, crispy bites throughout the cold pasta salad, and they add so much flavor.
3. Make the vinaigrette
In a bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, pepperoncini brine, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, grated garlic, crushed Calabrian peppers, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Whisk until everything is well combined and the vinaigrette begins to emulsify.
4. Toss everything together
In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, crispy salami, chopped artichoke hearts, chili olives, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, Parmesan and fresh basil.
Pour the Calabrian chili vinaigrette over everything and toss until the pasta and all of those delicious little add-ins are evenly coated.
5. Let it chill
This part matters!
Cover the pasta salad and refrigerate it for at least one hour before serving. If you have time to make it the night before, even better. Giving it time to sit allows all those spicy, tangy, savory flavors to really come together.
Before serving, give everything another good toss and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
Make It Ahead for Your Next Cookout
If you’re hosting or heading to a party, this is absolutely one of those recipes I would make the night before. Not only does that mean one less thing to worry about the day of the party, but I genuinely think it tastes even better after sitting overnight.
Just keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to serve. Before putting it out, toss it again and taste for seasoning. You can always add another sprinkle of Parmesan, a little fresh basil or a crack of black pepper to freshen everything up.
A Few Easy Swaps
One of my favorite things about pasta salad is that you don’t have to be precious about it.
If you can’t find the chili and garlic mozzarella pearls, regular mozzarella pearls will still be delicious. Likewise, you can adjust the amount of Calabrian pepper depending on how spicy you like things.
You can also use either salami or soppressata. Personally, I wouldn’t skip crisping it in the pan because those little crispy edges are one of my favorite parts.
And while the teaspoon of mayo in the dressing is completely optional, it helps everything emulsify and gives the vinaigrette a slightly creamier consistency without turning this into a creamy pasta salad.
The Summer Pasta Salad I’ll Be Making Again
When people start asking for containers so they can take your leftovers home, I feel like you have no choice but to add the recipe to the permanent rotation.
This Calabrian Chili Pasta Salad has so much going on in the best possible way. It’s spicy without being overwhelmingly hot, tangy and refreshing for those ridiculously hot August days, and hearty enough that you’re definitely going back for seconds.
Bring it to a neighborhood cookout, make it for Labor Day weekend, serve it alongside grilled chicken or burgers, or just make a giant bowl to keep in the refrigerator.
And if people start fighting over who gets to take the leftovers home, consider yourself warned.