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Grinder Pasta Salad

Grinder pasta salad served in bowl.
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5 from 1 review

This Italian Grinder Pasta Salad is a TikTok viral recipe that came from the Grinder Sub & Salad. It's packed with deli meats and cheeses, and this is the first pasta salad I've ever made that got the "Man Approved" stamp. Plus, ready in under 30 minutes and made all in one bowl. 

Ingredients

Grinder Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Pasta Salad: 

  • 8 ounces dried pasta, like fusilli, gemelli, or rotini
  • 4 jarred pepperoncini with reserved juice
  • 1/4 cup mild banana peppers from jar
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped lettuce, iceberg or romaine hearts
  • 1/2 cup yellow or red onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese cubes
  • 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese cubes
  • 4 slices of deli ham, chopped into bite sized squares
  • 4 slices of deli turkey, chopped into bite sized squares
  • 15 pepperonis, each sliced into 3 or 4 pieces

Instructions

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil on the stovetop. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente, firm when bitten into, according to the instructions on the package. Once the pasta is cooked, transfer to a colander and rinse the pasta for a few minutes under cold water, tossing frequently. Shake the pasta in the colander repeatedly to remove any excess water.
  2. In a large serving bowl, make the dressing, by combining mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, garlic powder, oregano and pepper. Whisk until combined and creamy. Stir in the pepperoncini with juices.
  3. Right over the dressing, add in the drained cooled pasta, lettuce, deli meats and pepperoni, onion, banana peppers, and cheese.
  4. Toss to combine. I recommend placing in the fridge for 30 minutes before eating. Serve and enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

  • The pasta should be room temperature or cold when added to the bowl to avoid melting the cheese.
  • Dry everything, except for the banana peppers and pepperoncini really well. The juices from the peppers add flavor, but watered down pasta and lettuce do not.

Find it online: https://simplymadeeats.com/18849/grinder-pasta-salad/