Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander, then immediately rinse under cold water until cooled. Drain very well again.
Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Pour over dressing and toss to evenly coat.
Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Ingredient notes
Salami: Classic salami is obviously a great choice. I just bought an entire one and sliced it into bite-sized chunks, making sure it wasn’t too aged and hard. Summer sausage would also be delicious. And I guess pepperoni would work if you can’t find anything else. If you’re going to make this for kids, make sure you’re not buying a spicy salami.
Pasta: You can use whatever short pasta shape you have on hand. I would avoid overly large tubular pasta (think rigatoni), because they are more difficult to eat in a relaxed picnic setting, and the aded goodies hide in their cavities. My favorites are rotini or bow ties, or more artisan shapes like orecchiette (look them up if you don’t know them, they are pretty cute).
Dressing: I always make my own Italian dressing. It’s the easiest thing ever! But if you need easy, or you just happen to have a bottle of Italian dressing in the fridge – that’s absolutely fine, too.
Artichoke hearts/sun-dried tomatoes: If these are not to your taste, just leave them out! I actually rarely use the artichokes when it’s just for our family, because our kids do not like them one bit. But they are delicious in the salad if you enjoy their taste! If you’re on the fence about artichokes, I do recommend skipping them.
Recipe tips
Cook the pasta just al dente: The pasta will keep softening as it soaks up some of the dressing while it sit. Don’t overcook your pasta, or you will end up with a mushy salad. Check out how to cook pasta if you’re unsure.
Don’t skip the rinsing: I know there are strong opinions on rinsing vs not rinsing your pasta. I never rinse it when I use it in hot dishes, but for a cold salad I believe in the cold rinse. It washes excess starch from the pasta, keeping it from sticking together, and keeping the salad from developing a weird texture. It also helps to stop the cooking process of the pasta, to ensure it doesn’t continue cooking as it cools.
Don’t skip the chilling: This pasta salad really does benefit from at least an hour in the fridge. The flavors develop, the salad gets cold and it just gets better all over.