This simple Italian Pasta Salad is a crowd-pleasing dish excellent for summer season picnics or potlucks. Filled with contemporary greens, cheese, pepperoni and dressed with a zesty do-it-yourself Italian dressing, this salad is bound to be a success. Plus, try the recipe video for step-by-step directions!

Have you ever made our Greek Pasta Salad? It’s actually good and probably the most widespread recipes on our web site. Right here’s the factor although, not everyone seems to be a fan of feta cheese, so we felt like we had no alternative however to bust out an amazingly simple pasta salad recipe full with mozzarella cheese, contemporary and flavorful do-it-yourself Italian dressing, and meat and colourful greens galore.

There’s one thing about pasta salad recipes and summertime that simply make the world joyful. I get nearly giddy the nearer we get to summer season simply interested by dusting off the BBQ and pulling out the garden chairs for out of doors cookouts with associates. Make some grilled hen and grilled corn on the cob with this pasta salad with Italian dressing, and you’ve got your self the excellent summer season dinner!

What’s in Italian Pasta Salad?

I’ll be sincere with you — our youngsters completely pick a few of the components on this do-it-yourself pasta salad. Two of our youngsters love straight up chilly pepperoni. So Cade and I are left to eat no matter’s leftover from this pasta salad with pepperoni. The fun of parenthood!

To make this pasta salad recipe, you’ll want:

• Rotini Pasta: Any brief, sturdy pasta works nice like penne, farfalle, fusilli, macaroni, and many others.
• Pepperoni
• Salami
• Black Olives
• Mozzarella Cheese: Recent mozzarella balls are most well-liked.
• Parmesan Cheese: freshly grated
• Bell Pepper: I want a purple, yellow or orange bell pepper.
• Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes work nice.
• Crimson Onion
• Italian Salad Dressing: You’ll be able to seize some on the grocery retailer or make it at dwelling with the recipe we’ve included under.

The measurements wanted for every ingredient will be discovered within the recipe card on the finish of the publish.

The way to Make Italian Pasta Salad

Don’t let all of the mix-ins idiot you, this Italian pasta salad with pepperoni is as simple because it will get! It’s only a matter of cooking the pasta, chopping up all of the salad elements and making the dressing. Right here’s how we make this pasta salad with Italian dressing:

1. Whisk: Add all of the components for the dressing to a small bowl and whisk collectively to mix.
2. Prepare dinner: Add water to a big saucepan and closely salt the water. Prepare dinner the pasta in accordance with bundle directions, then drain in a colander and let cool.
3. Mix: Add the pasta, dressing, and remaining components to a big bowl and gently toss to combine.

Scroll all the way down to the top of the publish for the entire recipe within the recipe card. You may also print or save the recipe there.

What to Serve with Italian Pasta Salad

This chilly pasta salad with Italian dressing is sweet with lots of totally different meals, from ham to pulled pork to hamburgers. You title it, I wager it’ll style good with this do-it-yourself pasta salad!

Just a few of our favourite important dishes to get pleasure from alongside this pasta salad are:

Can I Prep Pasta Salad in Advance?

It’s greatest to organize this pasta salad as near consuming it as doable. The longer it sits, the extra it’ll soak up the dressing and switch bland in taste. To not point out, the noodles change into overly delicate and swollen.

Should you want to put together this Italian pasta salad with pepperoni forward of time, ensure that the noodles are saved in a zip-top bag and the opposite components are saved in a separate container with the dressing in a jar. That manner, every little thing is prepped however nothing turns soggy!

Can Pasta Salad Be Frozen?

No. Oh, please no. Pasta doesn’t maintain up effectively within the freezer until it’s in a casserole, and even then it actually struggles as a result of it absorbs the sauce or dressing simply because it does within the fridge.

Ideas for Making Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

When cooking the pasta for this Italian pasta salad with pepperoni, you need to cook dinner it simply till al dente. Keep in mind that the pasta might be sitting within the pasta salad dressing, so that you need it to have a bit of chew to it in any other case it’ll change into mushy.

Lower the greens, cheese and meats pretty small so you may get all these daring flavors and textures in each single chew.

Additionally observe that you just’re welcome to make use of any brief, sturdy pasta you could have readily available. We want rotini pasta, however penne, macaroni, or bow-tie pasta would work too!

Lastly, as we’ve talked about in our different pasta salad recipe, you must by no means refrigerate pasta salad earlier than serving it.  The pasta turns into mushy the longer it sits within the fridge, and fridge-cold pasta salad is usually too dry for our liking.

Now Watch How This Italian Pasta Salad Recipe is Made…

On the lookout for a fast and scrumptious pasta salad recipe? This simple Italian pasta salad is loaded with contemporary greens, herbs, and a zesty dressing. Excellent for picnics, potlucks, or as a aspect dish. 

Extra PASTA SALAD RECIPES:

Really helpful Merchandise

Might 2018: Initially Posted

March 2025: Content material up to date and video added