This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
BEST Easy Italian Pasta Salad. This pasta salad is loaded up with salami, tomatoes, olives, and pepperoncini all drizzled in an herb loaded zesty Italian dressing. A perfect side dish!
This easy to make Italian Pasta Salad is perfect for:
- Serving as a side dish at a summer BBQ, potluck, or party.
- Using all the random veggies, meats, herbs that you have leftover in your fridge.
- Serve as a lunch or light dinner.
How to make Italian Pasta Salad:
- Cook the pasta: boil the noodles in boiling salt water until just past al dente. Be careful not to overcook the pasta to cause it to become mushy. Rinse the noodles with cold water once done cooking to stop the cooking and to cool the noodles.
- Dice & Prepare all fillings: dice all of the fillings to approximately the same size.
- Prepare dressing: This Homemade Italian Dressing is my all time favorite dressing on pasta salad.
- Mix together & Chill: combine the noodles, fillings, and dressing. Cover the pasta salad and chill for at least 2 hours. This pasta should be served cold.
Ingredient Breakdown:
- Pasta: images show a Tri Color Rotini, other options would be other short pastas: bowtie, penne, or fusilli.
- Meats: Genoa salami is a great option, if you want you could add some pepperoni also.
- Cheese: fresh mozzarella is shown. Other options include fresh grated parmesan, and diced provolone if wanted.
- Veggies: tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, and red onions. Other options would include bell pepper, cucumber, and broccoli.
- Herbs: fresh diced parsley is included. Basil would also be a great addition.
More Side Dish Recipes:
Soak the onions in the dressing while preparing the rest of the salad. This removes the harsh biting taste of raw onion!
Easy Italian Pasta Salad
BEST Easy Italian Pasta Salad. This pasta salad is loaded up with salami, tomatoes, olives, and pepperoncini all drizzled in an herb loaded zesty Italian dressing. A perfect side dish!
Ingredients
- 1 lb uncooked pasta rotini
- ⅓ cup red onion diced (soaked in dressing)
- 1 pint grape tomatoes cut in half
- 1 (6 ounce can) black olives sliced
- 1 cup fresh mozarella cut in half
- 8 oz genoa salami chopped
- ½ cup pepperonicini sliced
- 1 cup Italian Dressing
- ⅓ cup parmesan freshly grated
- 2 tbsp parsley diced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until just past al dente. Drain and rinse the noodles in cold water.
- Add the cooled noodles and fillings into a large bowl.
- Toss the noodles, fillings, and dressing all together.
- Cover and place in refrigerator to allow to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Store in refrigerator in a sealed container for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 976mg | Potassium: 355mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 568IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
