Spicy Chopped Italian Romesco Pasta Salad with Crispy Meats
If you want a side dish that stands out at your next gathering, this vibrant Romesco pasta salad is the perfect mashup. We took a classic Spanish technique, a rich, nutty Romesco made with roasted red peppers and almonds and gave it a bold Italian twist with fiery Calabrian chili and griddled deli meats. It is smoky, tangy, and packed with incredible texture that will have everyone asking for the recipe.
Ingredients
Calabrian Chili Romesco Dressing
- 1 cup roasted red peppers drained and patted dry
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup sliced almonds toasted
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili paste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 small garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 to 4 tablespoon cold water to loosen the mixture
Pasta Salad
- 1 lb short pasta (orecchiette, mezze rigatoni, radiatori, or cavatappi) 450 to 500 g
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt for pasta water
- ¼ lb hot mortadella 110 g, chopped into ½" x 2" strips
- ¼ lb Genoa salami 120 g, chopped into ½" x 2" strips
- ¼ lb pepperoni 120 g, chopped in half
- 1 cup roasted red peppers drained, patted dry, and sliced
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- ¾ cup hot pickled chili peppers or pepperoncini sliced
- ¾ cup Castelvetrano olives pitted and halved
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 7 oz provolone cheese 200 g, diced
- ½ cup fresh basil torn
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup sliced almonds toasted
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated, plus extra for finishing
Instructions
Blend the Dressing
- Add all the dressing ingredients except the water into a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Pour in 2 tablespoon of the cold water, then blend again. The dressing should be pourable, glossy, and slightly looser than a traditional dipping romesco. If it still feels too thick, blend in another 1 to 2 tablespoon of water. Taste and adjust with an extra splash of vinegar or a pinch of salt if needed.
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, then drop in your short pasta. Cook the pasta as per the packaging instructions until it is just past al dente: about 1 minute softer than you would typically prefer for a hot pasta dish. Drain the pasta thoroughly in a colander, but do not rinse it.
Dress the Warm Pasta
- Transfer the warm, drained pasta immediately to a large mixing bowl. Toss it thoroughly with about ½ cup of the prepared Romesco dressing. Allow the pasta to cool at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. This crucial step helps the noodles absorb the complex flavours deep inside rather than just sitting coated on the surface.
Crisp the Deli Meats
- While the pasta cools, heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. If you are using a standard skillet, cook the chopped meat in two-three batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Spread the mortadella, salami, and pepperoni across the hot surface. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes per batch, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders out and the edges turn beautifully browned, curled, and lightly crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meats to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
Why Batch Cooking Matters: Dumping all 350 grams of deli meat into a skillet at once traps the escaping moisture, causing the meat to steam and turn rubbery instead of frying. Working in batches gives that moisture room to evaporate instantly, so the edges get properly crispy. If you are using a large outdoor flat-top griddle, you can cook it all at once; just be sure to spread it out across the entire surface so the pieces are not piled on top of each other.
Assemble the Salad
- To the bowl of cooled, dressed pasta, the majority of your crispy griddled meats (reserve a small handful for topping at the end), diced provolone, halved cherry tomatoes, Castelvetrano olives, sliced red onion, pepperoncini, torn basil, chopped parsley, sliced almonds and the grated Parmesan.
Add the Final Dressing
- Pour another ½ to ¾ cup of the Romesco dressing over the salad and toss everything together gently until well combined. (Serve any extra dressing on the side or reserve for leftovers.) Serve with more grated Parmesan and fresh herbs. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to marry. Pasta salad naturally dulls in flavour as it rests, so give it a final taste before serving. Adjust the acidity or saltiness with a little more vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice, or another spoonful of dressing if desired.
Garnish and Serve
- Transfer the salad to a wide, shallow serving bowl or a beautiful Hestan Au Gratin dish. Scatter the reserved crispy meats, an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan, fresh herbs, and toasted almonds over the top. Finish with a light, elegant drizzle of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
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Notes
Tips, Substitutions & Serving Suggestions
- Make-Ahead Strategy: This salad tastes best after resting for 30 to 60 minutes. If you want to prepare it a day in advance, store the main tossed pasta salad in the refrigerator, but keep a small jar of extra dressing, the fresh herbs, the almonds, and the crispy meats in separate containers. Toss the fresh elements in just before serving to keep the salad looking glossy and tasting crisp.
- Why No Rinsing? Rinsing pasta washes away the natural starches. Leaving those starches on the warm noodles creates a perfect surface for the blended Romesco dressing to cling to.
- Nut Alternatives: If you have an almond allergy in the family, you can substitute the almonds in both the dressing and the salad topping with toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a similar textural crunch.
- Levelling the Heat: One tablespoon of Calabrian chili paste gives this dish a pleasant, warming background heat without taking over. If you prefer a milder profile, cut the paste down to ½ tablespoon. If you love fire like us, feel free to double it!
Storing Leftovers
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To revive, let the salad sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, toss with any extra Romesco sauce, a splash of olive oil or water to loosen the noodles, and add a quick squeeze of lemon juice to wake up the flavours. Note: The 10-Second Exception: If you are in a total rush and absolutely cannot wait for it to sit on the counter, you can use the microwave to break the chill, but do not try to actually warm it all up.
- Texture Note for Leftovers: The griddled mortadella, salami, pepperoni and slivered almonds will naturally lose their crisp edge once they sit in the moist environment of the refrigerator. They will still taste incredibly savoury and rich, but if crunch is your favourite part, consider storing a handful of the crisped meats and toasted almonds separately in a paper towel-lined container and scattering them on top right before you dive into your leftovers.
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