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Penne carries the flavors of a deli sandwich in this chilled salad with ham, salami, pepperoni and provolone. Drain cooled pasta thoroughly before dressing it. Add lettuce close to serving, because a long soak in mayonnaise dressing and tomato juice quickly changes its texture.
Yes. Here sixteen ounces means the uncooked penne package, unlike recipes that list cooked pasta weight. Use a large mixing bowl because the cooked pasta joins twelve ounces of deli meats, cheese and vegetables.
Ingredient amounts and preparation
- Set out: 16 ounces penne pasta
- Set out: 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Set out: 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- Set out: 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Set out: 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Set out: 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Set out: 4 ounces shredded iceberg lettuce (about 2-3 cups)
- Set out: 4 ounces ham; 4 ounces pepperoni
- Set out: 4 ounces salami
- Set out: 4 ounces provolone cheese; 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- Set out: 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers; 1/2 red onion, finely diced
Cooking sequence and doneness
- Stage 1
- Cook the sixteen-ounce dry penne package to its recommended tenderness, rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly.
- Stage 2
- Whisk mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and Parmesan into a smooth dressing.
- Stage 3
- Cut ham, pepperoni, salami and provolone into manageable pieces and prepare drained vegetables.
- Stage 4
- Combine cooled pasta with meats, cheese, tomatoes, pepperoncini and onion; keep lettuce separate if not serving yet.
- Stage 5
- Fold in dressing and dry shredded lettuce close to serving, toss gently and keep chilled until the meal.
For this cold salad, a cool rinse stops cooking and removes surface heat before mayonnaise and lettuce are added. Drain again very well, shaking the colander gently. Water trapped in the tubes thins the dressing after the bowl has already been mixed.
How should the deli meats be cut?
Cut into bite-size strips or pieces that distribute through a forkful of pasta. A stack of broad sandwich slices is difficult to separate once coated. Break apart any clumps before adding the provolone and vegetables. Keep cooled pasta and prepared meats refrigerated, and store dry lettuce separately. Drain pepperoncini and cut tomatoes before the final toss. Saving lettuce for the last stage preserves more crunch than refrigerating the fully dressed bowl overnight.
Does vinegar make the salad safe at room temperature?
No. The dressing is a flavor mixture, not a preservation process. Keep the assembled salad cold and serve smaller bowls as needed. Deli meat, cooked pasta and cheese still require normal perishable-food handling.
Storage and serving later
Refrigerate perishable leftovers promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below; do not wait for a large hot batch to cool completely on the counter. University of Illinois Extension’s leftover guidance gives a three-to-four-day refrigerated window and 165°F for reheating foods served hot. Keep cold salads and toppings chilled, and follow shorter product-label limits where applicable. Do not leave the prepared dish out longer than two hours, or one hour above 90°F; return the remaining batch to cold storage.
Related recipe choices
For another complete recipe, see Peach Tortellini Salad with Prosciutto and Hot Honey or Black-Eyed Pea Cowboy Caviar with Beans and Corn. Each has its own ingredient quantities and cooking sequence; keep those measurements separate when choosing a meal. Recipe guidance is based on the listed ingredient amounts and the method checks above. Timing is an estimate rather than a kitchen-test result; ingredient brands and cookware can change the outcome.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- Is the pasta weighed dry?
Yes. Here sixteen ounces means the uncooked penne package, unlike recipes that list cooked pasta weight.
- Why rinse after boiling?
For this cold salad, a cool rinse stops cooking and removes surface heat before mayonnaise and lettuce are added. Drain again very well, shaking the colander gently.
- How should the deli meats be cut?
Cut into bite-size strips or pieces that distribute through a forkful of pasta. A stack of broad sandwich slices is difficult to separate once coated.
- What belongs in an advance-prep container?
Keep cooled pasta and prepared meats refrigerated, and store dry lettuce separately. Drain pepperoncini and cut tomatoes before the final toss.
- Does vinegar make the salad safe at room temperature?
No. The dressing is a flavor mixture, not a preservation process.