Get my Cookbooks! Italian Pasta Salad
This Italian Pasta Salad is loaded with Italian favorites like pepperoni, salami, mozzarella, veggies, and homemade or bottled Dressing! It’s easy to make and a perfect summer side dish!
Be sure to try my Thai Chicken Salad and my Chickpea Salad recipes next!
Italian Pasta Salad
I have quite a few pasta salad recipes on my site now, and they’re all incredible… but dare I say that this Italian Pasta Salad is my new favorite?
The mozzarella, Parmesan, salami, pepperoni, and olives are just quintessential Italian! And the vibrant tomatoes, bell peppers, and red onions add the perfect crunch and pop of color along with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and of course, Italian Dressing!
I know this will be a huge hit at your next gathering or potluck! We also love having it in the fridge during the hot summer months for an easy and satisfying snack!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Boil the pasta to al dente and drain. Spread it out on a tray or parchment paper and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Let it cool.
Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with Italian dressing. If possible, chill for 2 hours prior to serving.
Make Ahead Method
- This pasta salad can be assembled 8-12 hours ahead of time. Note: The pasta will absorb a lot of the dressing during storage, so you’ll need to add up to 1/2 cup additional dressing prior to serving.
Pro Tips
- Be sure to use a timer when you boil your pasta to ensure that you don’t overcook it. I like to cook it for 30 seconds less than al dente, as it cools gradually, during which time it finishes cooking.
- Salt the pasta water well to ensure that the pasta itself has plenty of flavor.
- 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.
- Dressing: I use Olive Garden Italian Salad Dressing. I also have a homemade version!
- For a Creamier Italian Dressing: Combine 1/4 cup mayo with 1 cup of Italian dressing for the pasta.
- Veggies: I slice the tomatoes and put them middle-side-down on paper towels to absorb excess juice. I also lay the diced bell peppers on paper towels to remove excess moisture. (To avoid a watery salad.)
- Be sure to try my Greek Pasta Salad, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, and my other Pasta Salad Recipes!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Pasta Strainer– This is the one I use, it’s the perfect size.
- Cutting Boards
- My Favorite Chef Knife
- Glass Serving Bowl
- Salad Dressing Shaker and Cruet
Try These Next
-
- Thai Chicken Salad
-
- Peach Cobbler
-
- Tortellini Pasta Salad
-
- Macaroni Salad
-
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
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Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Italian Pasta Salad
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
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
- 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 Pasta Salad, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, and my other Pasta Salad Recipes!
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
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 12 servings in this recipe.
We are huge for making yummy pasta salads. My son said this is the best one I’ve made yet. Thank you for this recipe.
You’re very welcome! I’m so happy your son enjoyed it so much. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!😃
It tastes as good as it looks! Thank you for the cooking tips, and links to your kitchen supplies. Always much appreciated!
Yayyy, thanks so much for the great comments and review, I’m so happy you found the tips and link helpful!💖
Hi! So good! I also added some hearts of palm and sun dried tomatoes. Added nice texture. Thanks for the dressing recipe—yum!
I’m so happy to hear that you loved it! I love that you added sun dried tomatoes! I actually JUST hit the publish button my new Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe which has sundried tomatoes- SO good! 🙂 Thank you for the review! -Stephanie
I made this recipe for a friend’s husband’s birthday dinner. The friend told me that it was delicious and a perfect addition to their meal. I have never had a miss with any of your recipes. Always hit a home run!
I’m so happy it was a hit for your friends birthday Nancy, nice work! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!💖
I saw this on instagram and knew I just had to have some. I made this as written (along with two recipes of Good Seasons Italian dressing), and it was exactly like the potluck style pasta salads that I loved so much growing up – just what I was craving!
Hi Juli!! I’m so happy that I was able to persuade you to give this a try on Instagram, (thank you so much for the follow)! I’m also so happy to hear that it was what you were looking for!! Thank you so much for taking the time to come leave a review, you’re the best!! -Stephanie ❤️
Hey there, just a quick question! I’m thinking about meal prepping this recipe for pregnancy but subbing grilled chicken for the meats and whole wheat pasta for the regular, that being said do you think individual portions would freeze well providing they aren’t dressed until ready to eat?
Hi there!! 🙂 Unfortunately the water content in the veggies doesn’t make this a good contender for the freezer, they’ll be mushy when reheated. At that point you’d just be freezing cooked pasta and chicken which won’t be too helpful, the pasta will likely stick together without some sort of sauce to coat it as well. I do have a collection of meals that freeze well that you can check out! 🙂
Making this today for the 4th, gave it a try before sticking in the fridge and it is so yummy!
Used spicy hard salami and boars head pepperoni diced up, and the spice was a nice contrast to the sweet bell pepper🥳 Thanks for another awesome recipe!
Woooooo!!! I’m so glad that you loved it! If I could pick one Fourth of July dish, it would be this!! Thank you for the review, as always!! 🩷🩷🩷
Looks so yummy I can’t wait to make it.
Thanks Joan, you’ll have to let me know how you like it!💖
This recipe is a keeper! So easy to make and delicious. All the flavors mixed in together smell wonderful, too. As I’m writing this all I want to do is go dig in!
I’m soooo happy to hear that Nikki!! I know exactly what you mean- I want to dig into this salad constantly! (I’ve even snug a snack of it in the middle of the night before. I was asleep, woke up, and needed it. 😆) -Don’t tell anyone! 😉
This Italian Pasta Salad recipe is my favorite Summer salad yet! I usually have most of these ingredients on hand because my husband is obsessed with Italian sandwiches for his work lunches. I am definitely a salad kinda girl and this recipe made my plain ole spinach salad so exciting when I used this as a topper! I used bottled dressing this time but I am definitely going to try your homemade version next time. I LOVE the little mozzarella balls too! I’m going to make sure my fridge is always stocked! We’ll be eating this all Summer. Thank you so much!
I’m so happy you liked it so much Gwen! I love that you appreciate the mozzarella balls as much as I do 😋. Thanks so much for the great comments and review!💖
Yummy yum 👏👏❤️☕️👣🎈🥗⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thanks so much Linda!💖