Italian Pasta Salad Pressure Cooker Recipe
Packed with everything from sweet cherry tomatoes, crunchy Persian cucumbers, silky fresh mozzarella, briny kalamata olives, and your favorite pasta, this Chopped Italian Pasta Salad is sure to be a picnic staple.
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker with sealing ring
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1 pound pasta of choice I used cavatappi
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus 1 cup for dressing
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced or grated
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- ½ cup kalamata olives pitted and drained
- ½ cup sliced pepperoncinis
- 3 Persian cucumbers diced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
- 8 ounces provolone cubed
- 8 ounces salami cut into matchsticks
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup finely minced fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
Instructions
- Check your pressure cooker sealing ring before you start.
- Add 1 pound pasta and 3 tablespoons kosher salt into your cooker with enough water to cover pasta well.
- Lock the lid and set it to high pressure so your pressure builds up fast and pasta cooks in about the time package says minus a minute or two.
- Use a quick release once pasta is done cooking so it stops right when al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop any more cooking.
- Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar in a bowl for your dressing.
- Toss cooled pasta with dressing plus your tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, cheeses, salami, onions, and parsley. Let chill at least 30 minutes.
Notes
Leftovers go straight into an airtight container to keep everything fresh. For lunch, use an insulated bag with a cool pack.