4-Ingredient Antipasto Pasta Salad

Article by Kim Klatzkin

There are many different directions a 4-ingredient pasta salad could take. However, the expert recipe developers and testers at Food Network wanted every single ingredient to pull its weight, adding up to a recipe that’s more than the sum of its parts. Enter this Italian-inspired simple pasta salad, made from umami-packed ingredients that deliver satisfying results with minimal money and time required.

Ingredients In 4-Ingredient Pasta Salad

Pasta salad often gets a bad rap for being bland or overly dressed, but this version is anything but. With just a few thoughtfully chosen ingredients, it manages to be bright, savory, and satisfying.

• Cherry tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes, salted and left to sit, are the unsung heroes here. With time, salt draws out their juices through osmosis, creating a natural vinaigrette that’s equal parts sweet, tart, and savory. This simple step concentrates the tomatoes’ flavor and adds acidity without any need for vinegar or lemon juice.

• Pre-sliced genoa salami: We like Genoa salami for its delicate flavor and slightly softer texture compared to other hard salamis. We opted for pre-sliced salami rather than chopping it ourselves because we found it eats better—you get tender, flavorful layers that fold into the pasta naturally.

• Marinated small mozzarella balls: Instead of plain mozzarella, we use small marinated mozzarella balls (sometimes labeled as ciliegine), which not only add a punch of herby, garlicky flavor but also give us a built-in dressing: the reserved marinade gets tossed in at the end to bring everything together.

• Shell pasta: Shells are our pasta shape of choice here; they look elegant and act like little scoops, hugging the juicy tomatoes and salty bites of salami in a way that makes every forkful feel complete. Unlike most pasta recipes, we cook the shells past al dente—just enough to account for the fact that they’ll firm up as they cool. If you don’t have shells on hand, you could use any other type of dried short pasta instead.

Tips for Serving this Simple Pasta Salad

• Season the pasta water aggressively: And don’t forget to season the pasta water aggressively—cold food mutes flavor, so this is your first and best shot at infusing the dish with depth from the inside out.

• Serve it at room temperature: This pasta salad is best served at room temperature, when the cheese is supple, the tomatoes are juicy and the flavors are most expressive. If making ahead, let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before serving.

How to Store 4-Ingredient Pasta Salad

Store the pasta salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.