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Grinder Pasta Salad

Grinder pasta salad is a deli-style Italian sub turned into a cold pasta salad with rotini, Italian meats, provolone, and banana peppers. Tossed with Italian dressing and finished with crisp iceberg lettuce for sandwich-like layers and flavor.
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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: 560
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

rotini pasta
  • 1 lb rotini pasta About 1 lb; choose rotini for lots of dressing coverage.
salami
  • 8 oz salami Quarter and keep pieces chunky for sandwich-style bites.
ham
  • 8 oz ham Dice so it mixes evenly throughout the salad.
turkey
  • 8 oz turkey Dice for consistent texture with the other meats.
provolone cheese
  • 8 oz provolone cheese Cube so it stays distinct and doesn’t clump.
iceberg lettuce
  • 2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce Add right before serving for crunch.
cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halve to distribute pops of juiciness.
banana peppers
  • 1 cup banana peppers Slice; use more if you like a brighter, peppery bite.
red onion
  • 0.5 cup red onion Thinly slice for even flavor in every forkful.
Italian dressing
  • 1 cup Italian dressing The main flavor base for the coating.
red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar Adds tang to balance the meats and cheese.
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Seasoning blend for classic deli flavor.
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste.

Method
 

Cook and chill the pasta
  1. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and keep the pasta springy.
  2. Spread the pasta on a tray or baking sheet to cool slightly while you prep the meats and vegetables, then let it sit until no longer very warm.
Build the grinder-style base
  1. Combine pasta, salami, ham, turkey, provolone cheese, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, and red onion in a large bowl so the mix looks evenly layered like a deli hoagie.
  2. Mix Italian dressing with red wine vinegar and Italian seasoning until blended, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat, using a few turns until the pasta and meats look glossy and evenly covered.
Chill and finish
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours so the pasta absorbs the dressing and flavors meld.
  2. Just before serving, add shredded iceberg lettuce and toss again until the lettuce is bright and crisp with minimal wilting.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the hot pasta in cold water thoroughly and cool it slightly before mixing so the cheese and meats stay distinct. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 4 days; add lettuce right before serving for best crunch. Freezing isn’t recommended because lettuce and pasta texture change. Dietary swap: use turkey plus a lower-sodium Italian dressing (or make a light version) if you want to reduce sodium without changing the deli-style vibe.