Name: Antipasto Rice Salad
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 C cooked basmati rice; 1 C diced mozzarella; 1 C diced salami; 1 C sliced olives (any variety); 1 C grape tomatoes (halved); 1/4 C pepperoncini peppers (chopped); 1/2 C olive oil; 1/4 C red wine vinegar; 1 tsp garlic (minced); 1/2 tsp dried basil; 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder; 1/4 tsp salt; fresh cracked pepper; 1 TB fresh parsley chopped (optional)

Antipasto Rice Salad

The antipasto ingredients of salami, mozzarella, olives, tomatoes, and pepperoncini peppers are the ideal complement to the Italian dressing for this rice salad. This is a great way to enjoy a side salad that is not a pasta salad for those on a gluten-free diet. It is similar to an orzo salad but with rice.

This antipasto Italian cold rice salad is an easy and delicious recipe. It is a great rice salad for summer but can also be served while the rice is still warm for a lovely side dish any season. A bonus about this antipasto rice salad is that the more it sits and gets a chance to marinate with the Italian dressing, the better it becomes.

Recreating a Memorable Recipe

As for the longer, it sits, the better it becomes – let’s just say this rice salad recipe and my fondness has sat in my memory for a long time. My best friend when I was a teen lived close by and I was at her house quite a lot. Her mom made this rice salad more than a time or two in my presence and I was a willing taste tester.

I longed to recreate this memorable rice salad somehow especially since it is gluten-free. I hope this antipasto rice salad is something my family and yours continue to enjoy and have fond memories about even decades from now. But mostly, I hope I have done Linda proud and recreated the rice salad beautifully.

The Antipasto Ingredients Include:

Diced salami
Diced mozzarella
Sliced olives – I used green, kalamata, and canned black olives
Sliced grape tomatoes
Sliced pepperoncini peppers
All lovely Italian/Mediterranean/Greek flavors for this rice salad

Antipasto Rice Salad ingredients — Diced Ingredients for Antipasto Rice Salad

Assemble the Antipasto Rice Salad

After prepping the antipasto ingredients, gather the dressing ingredients and the room temperature rice that was made earlier.

The Italian dressing ingredients include:

Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Dried basil leaves
Minced garlic
Dry mustard
Salt & pepper

Stir together the Italian dressing ingredients in a measuring cup, mason jar, or small bowl. The small amount of dry mustard powder helps not only boost the flavor with some tang but also helps thicken the dressing. This ensures the dressing coats the ingredients nicely versus just simply soaking into them as plain olive oil and vinegar would.

Homemade Italian Dressing for Antipasto Rice Salad The Short Order Cook — Homemade Italian Dressing for Antipasto Rice Salad

Pour the dressing over the rice and antipasto ingredients. Stir to combine. This is best when left to marinade together at least 30 minutes before serving. I do prefer this at room temperature. If you make this more than 30 minutes ahead of time and it is put into the refrigerator, I suggest having it sit about 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Antipasto Rice Salad The Short Order Cook — Stir ingredients together

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