Muffaletta Pasta Salad

It’s all Greek to me! And I’m glad it is. This Greek-style muffaletta pasta salad uses the best of what you’ve got aboard to make a meal that would make anyone want to say Opa. Opt for high-quality ingredients here. It makes all the difference in terms of flavor.

Ingredients:

1 lb. small pasta (macaroni, orecchiette, rigatoni or fusilli), freshly cooked and drained
4 Tbsp. oil, divided
1 cup onion, finely chopped (or 1 Tbsp. onion powder)
2 garlic cloves, minced (or ½ tsp. garlic powder)
15 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
5 oz. can roasted peppers, drained and diced
1 ½ cups diced summer sausage or salami
2 cups feta, kasseri, mozzarella or other favorite cheese, diced or crumbled
2 Tbsp. capers, drained (or pepperoncini peppers or sour pickles, chopped)
3 Tbsp. pitted green or black olives or a mixture of both
10 sun-dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. each salt and pepper

Directions:

Toss warm pasta with 2 tablespoons oil and set aside. In a skillet over medium, heat 2 remaining tablespoons of oil and sauté the onion and garlic until soft, about 7 minutes.

Combine onion and garlic with remaining ten ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour the warm pasta into a bowl and toss. Add more salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

By Lori Ross, Southern Boating September 2018