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–+ servings
Italian Pasta Salad in a wooden bowl with spiral pasta, cheese, meat, and vegetables.
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Italian Pasta Salad

This Italian Pasta Salad is loaded with pepperoni, salami, mozzarella, veggies, and homemade or bottled Italian Dressing! It's easy to make and a perfect summer side dish!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time38 minutes
Course: Pasta, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 363kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Rotini pasta
  • 1 small red bell pepper about 1 cup diced
  • 1 small green pepper about 1 cup diced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced
  • 8 oz. Mozzarella pearls about 1 ¼ cups
  • ¾ cup chopped salami 4-5 oz.
  • ¾ cup mini pepperoni
  • 1 cup sliced black olives
  • ½ cup finely diced red onion
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 ¼ cup Italian salad dressing see notes for homemade recipe
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Boil the Pasta

  • Begin boiling a large pot of water for the pasta. Once a boil is reached, salt the water generously. (I use 1 tbsp. kosher salt.)
  • Add the pasta and cook to al dente (or 30 seconds shy, set a timer to ensure you don’t overcook it).
  • Drain and spread it out on a tray or parchment paper and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Let it cool.

Make the Salad

  • Prepare the other salad ingredients while the pasta boils and cools. Ensure your ingredients are finely diced and are of equal size for best results. Use paper towels to dab off any excess moisture from the veggies.
  • Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing. If possible chill for 2-3 hours prior to serving.
  • If preparing 8-12 hours ahead of time: Toss with about 1/2 cup additional dressing as needed prior to serving, as the pasta continues to absorb the dressing during storage.

Notes

Pro Tips
  • Dressing: Start with 1 ¼ cups of dressing and refrigerate for 2-3 hours if possible. You may want to toss with a little additional dressing before serving. If serving 8-12 hours later, add up to ½ cup additional dressing.
  • For a Creamier Italian Dressing: Combine 1/4 cup mayo with 1 cup of bottled Italian dressing.
  • Rotini: I love using Rao's Rotini, it's extra sturdy for this salad!
  • Don't rinse your pasta with cool water after it's drained. Drizzle it with a little olive oil and let it cool on parchment paper or a tray on the counter. The starch on the pasta helps it cling onto the dressing, cheese, etc.
  • Be sure to try my Greek Salad, Greek Pasta Salad, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, and my other Pasta Salad Recipes!
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 60 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Homemade Dressing: (Yields 1 ¼ cup)
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 (.7 oz.) packet Italian Dressing Mix
  • ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tablespoon mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon EACH: sugar, Italian seasoning, salt
  • ¼ teaspoon EACH: pepper, garlic powder
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake thoroughly until combined. Chill until ready to use. Be sure to shake or stir before each use. See full salad dressing blog post here.
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 12 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 814mg | Potassium: 311mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 722IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1mg