High Protein Muffuletta Pasta Salad
I made a giant batch of this for a beach trip with friends last month and safe to say, there were no leftovers. This is everything great about a muffuletta sandwich turned into a pasta salad, all the briny olive salad flavor, the salty cured meats, the tang, but built to travel in a cooler and taste even better the next day. We were eating it straight out of the container when we got back from the beach, hot and sweaty and starving, and it hit the spot every single time. It also happens to pack a real amount of protein and fiber, so it holds you over in a way most pasta salads at a cookout table don't.
Why You Need to Make This for Your Next Gathering (or just for lunch)
I recently discovered Brami pasta and thought this would be a perfect way to amp up our pasta dishes with protein and fiber. It's made from durum wheat and lupini beans, which pushes the protein and fiber well above a standard box of pasta while cutting net carbs. Pair that with ham, salami, and provolone and you're looking at a dish that holds you over the way most pasta salads don't. The olives and giardiniera bring in olive oil's monounsaturated fat along with polyphenols from the cured vegetables.
Ingredients
1 box Brami pasta, 12 ounces, I used fusilli
1/2 pound nitrite free ham, thinly sliced and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 salami, 7 ounces, sliced and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup pepperoncini, more or less to taste
1/2 jar Divina giardiniera, about 6.75 ounces
2 cups olives, chopped, I used a Greek mix
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the Brami pasta according to package directions, about 10 minutes for al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down for the salad.
While the pasta cooks, chop the ham, provolone, and salami into 1/2 inch pieces and roughly chop the olives and parsley.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, ham, provolone, salami, pepperoncini, giardiniera, olives, and parsley.
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the red wine vinegar and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or pepperoncini to your preference. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors come together.
Tips
This salad actually improves overnight in the fridge as the pasta soaks up the dressing, so it's a great make ahead option for a beach cooler, a potluck, or just meal prep for the week. Brami's texture holds up well to refrigeration. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Makes 8 Servings of about 2 cups each (as an entree)
Nutrition per serving: 509 Calories, 32 grams Carbs, 26 grams Protein, 31 grams Fat, 5 grams Fiber.
If serving as a side, this can feed more like 12-16.
If you're new here, hi!
I'm Becki Yoo, a registered dietitian and functional nutrition practitioner who works with women through fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. My approach always starts with food first and I love sharing recipes that are both nourishing and delicious.
Outside of the kitchen, I see clients one on one, I'm a birth nerd through three unmedicated births of my own, and I wrote my book, Naturally Nourished Kids, for parents who want practical, real food guidance without the overwhelm.
If you're pregnant or thinking about it, I put together a prenatal meal plan that walks through exactly what to eat while pregnant, grounded in that same food first approach.