I'm Making This Loaded Pasta Salad on Repeat

By
Nick Evans
Nick Evans
Nick Evans

Nick has been creating recipes for home cooks for almost 15 years. He is the author of Love Your Leftovers and has contributed to Simply Recipes since 2017.

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Published June 08, 2025
Nick Evans
ginder pasta salad in a bowl with serving utensils at a table setting with glasses of water, a table napkin, and a stack of plates (close-up)

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Why Make This

• Grinder Pasta Salad loads up pasta salad with ingredients from the iconic sandwich, including salami, provolone cheese, banana peppers, lettuce, and tomato.
• The recipe takes 30 minutes to make and you can serve it right away, but it's even better if you chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• If you want to make the salad ahead, it keeps up to 1 day in the fridge.

It’s always pasta salad season! And while I do like a good pasta salad, I shy away from the goopy varieties you find at the grocery store. I’ve recently been experimenting with a pasta salad recipe that is jam-packed with add-ins and flavors—much more my style. 

This grinder pasta salad is all about the mix-ins, and it’s amazing. 

What Is a Grinder?

A grinder is an Italian-style sub sandwich that can take on many forms and include a number of ingredients. It’s a large sandwich, generally on a hoagie roll and filled with meats and cheeses like salami, ham, and provolone. It almost always includes a generous layer of vegetables like banana peppers, lettuce, and tomato.

The name grinder is most commonly used in New England, and sometimes refers to a hot or toasted sandwich. While I love the portable nature of a good grinder sandwich, the flavors are also perfect for pasta salad adaptation, making it easier to share.

ginder pasta salad in a bowl at a table setting with glasses of water, serving utensils on a table napkin, and a stack of plates

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Customize This Recipe

Just like there are tons of options when making a sandwich, there are plenty of options when making this grinder pasta salad:

  • Add some spicy notes with pickled jalapeños or spicy banana peppers
  • Make this pasta salad less creamy by subbing olive oil for the mayo in the dressing. Change up the meats with any deli meats of your choice. You can also use your favorite cheese—stick with firm varieties
  • If something is good on a grinder sandwich, it will probably be good in this pasta salad. Try marinated mushrooms, olives, or fresh herbs like basil

Make It Ahead

You can serve this pasta salad right away after you make it, but it’s better if you let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill everything and mingle the flavors. 

If you want to make it in advance for a party, I would make it no more than a day ahead. After that, the lettuce starts to noticeably wilt. 

Cook-Out Sides

Grinder Pasta Salad

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 6 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cavatappi pasta

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 4 ounces salami, chopped

  • 6 ounces provolone cheese, chopped

  • 1/2 small red onion, diced

  • 1 cup diced tomatoes (1 to 2 medium to large tomatoes)

  • 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

  • 1/4 cup banana pepper rings, whole or chopped

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Cook the pasta:

    Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until it’s room temperature.

    Simple Tip!

    You can save time by prepping the mix-ins (chopping the salami, cheese, onion, tomatoes, and lettuce) while the water heats up and the pasta cooks.

  2. Meanwhile, make the dressing:

    Whisk together the mayo, vinegar, Italian seasoning, and Dijon mustard in a large bowl. Set aside until the pasta is done cooking.

  3. Assemble:

    Add the rinsed and drained pasta to the bowl with the dressing, along with the salami, cheese, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, and banana peppers. Toss until everything is coated in the dressing. Taste, adding salt and pepper as needed.

    Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for up to 4 hours. The leftovers will keep for about a day; after that, the lettuce will severely wilt.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
370 Calories
28g Fat
15g Carbs
14g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 370
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 47mg 16%
Sodium 770mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 9mg 45%
Calcium 238mg 18%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 258mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.