Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

Name: Creamy Italian Pasta Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup mayonnaise; 2 tsp mustard, Dijon; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tbsp italian seasoning; 1 tsp salt, for the dressing; ½ tsp black peppercorns, freshly ground, plus more for serving; 1½ lemon, juiced; 3 tbsp white wine vinegar; ¾ lb rotini, or fusilli, cooked according to package directions; 1 cup red bell peppers, diced, about 1 small pepper; ½ cup shallots, finely diced, about 1 large shallot; ½ cup black olives, sliced; 1 cup salami, diced; 1 cup mozzarella, diced; ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped; ½ cup basil, leaves, thinly sliced; to taste salt, for the pasta salad

A deli-counter salad built backwards — the dressing gets blended smooth first, so every piece of pasta ends up coated instead of just seasoned.

30 min hands on35 min start to finishSoups, Salads & Sandwichesweeknight, make-ahead

Cook the rotini in well-salted boiling water according to the package directions, then drain and let it cool slightly.

Blend the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, lemon juice and white wine vinegar until smooth and creamy. Set the dressing aside.

In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the bell pepper, shallot, olives, salami, mozzarella, parsley and basil.

Pour the dressing over and toss until every piece of pasta is well coated. Season with salt to taste, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Keeps well covered in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. If making it ahead, hold back the dressing until closer to serving — the pasta soaks it up overnight and the salad turns dry.