Description
This bold and zesty Italian Dressing Pasta Salad is loaded with rotini pasta, savory meats, crisp veggies, and creamy mozzarella—tossed in a flavorful homemade Italian dressing. Perfect for summer dinners, potlucks, or prepping ahead on a hot day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 recipe homemade Italian Dressing (link in article)
- 1 lb. rotini pasta
- 3.5–4 oz. pepperoni, quartered (about 3/4 cup)
- 4 oz. sliced salami, quartered (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup black olives, drained and halved
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls
- Grated Parmesan, for garnish
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
- While the pasta cooks, quarter the pepperoni and salami, halve the cherry tomatoes and olives, chop the bell peppers, finely dice the red onion, and chop the pepperoncini.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, meats, veggies, mozzarella pearls, and pepperoncini.
- Pour the homemade Italian dressing over the salad and toss well until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors develop.
- Before serving, give it a good stir and top with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Notes
- Cook the pasta al dente so it holds up well after chilling.
- Use fresh homemade dressing for the best flavor. Link in post!
- Letting it chill improves the flavor—don’t skip the rest time.
- Customize with different veggies or cheeses based on what you have.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boil, Mix, Chill
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 690mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: Italian Dressing Pasta Salad, Pasta Salad recipe, Pasta Salad, summer Recipe, hot summer day, HOMEMADE Pasta Salad, dinners