This easy Italian Pasta Salad is a crowd-pleasing dish perfect for summer picnics or potlucks. Packed with fresh vegetables, cheese, pepperoni and dressed with a zesty homemade Italian dressing, this salad is sure to be a hit. Plus, check out the recipe video for step-by-step instructions!

A glass bowl of quick and easy italian pasta salad recipe with homemade italian dressing. Rotini pasta with pepperoni, salsami, black olives, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, peppers, dressing and red onions!

Have you made our Greek Pasta Salad? It’s really good and one of the most popular recipes on our site. Here’s the thing though, not everyone is a fan of feta cheese, so we felt like we had no choice but to bust out an amazingly easy pasta salad recipe complete with mozzarella cheese, fresh and flavorful homemade Italian dressing, and meat and colorful vegetables galore.

There’s something about pasta salad recipes and summertime that just make the world happy. I get almost giddy the closer we get to summer just thinking about dusting off the BBQ and pulling out the lawn chairs for outdoor cookouts with friends. Make some grilled chicken and grilled corn on the cob with this pasta salad with Italian dressing, and you have yourself the perfect summer dinner!

A glass bowl of quick and easy italian pasta salad recipe with homemade italian dressing. Rotini pasta with pepperoni, salsami, black olives, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, peppers, dressing and red onions!

What’s in Italian Pasta Salad?

I’ll be honest with you — our kids totally pick out some of the ingredients in this homemade pasta salad. Two of our kids love straight up cold pepperoni. So Cade and I are left to eat whatever’s leftover from this pasta salad with pepperoni. The joys of parenthood!

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

  • Rotini Pasta: Any short, sturdy pasta works great like penne, farfalle, fusilli, macaroni, etc.
  • Pepperoni
  • Salami
  • Black Olives
  • Mozzarella Cheese: Fresh mozzarella balls are preferred.
  • Parmesan Cheese: freshly grated
  • Bell Pepper: I prefer a red, yellow or orange bell pepper.
  • Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes work great.
  • Red Onion
  • Italian Salad Dressing: You can grab some at the grocery store or make it at home with the recipe we’ve included below.

The measurements needed for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

A close up of rotini pasta salad with pepperoni, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, black olives, red peppers, salami and more!

How to Make Italian Pasta Salad

Don’t let all the mix-ins fool you, this Italian pasta salad with pepperoni is as easy as it gets! It’s just a matter of cooking the pasta, chopping up all the salad components and making the dressing. Here’s how we make this pasta salad with Italian dressing:

  1. Whisk: Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and whisk together to combine.
  2. Cook: Add water to a large saucepan and heavily salt the water. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, then drain in a colander and let cool.
  3. Combine: Add the pasta, dressing, and remaining ingredients to a large bowl and gently toss to mix.

Scroll down to the end of the post for the complete recipe in the recipe card. You can also print or save the recipe there.

What to Serve with Italian Pasta Salad

This cold pasta salad with Italian dressing is good with a lot of different foods, from ham to pulled pork to hamburgers. You name it, I bet it’ll taste good with this homemade pasta salad!

A few of our favorite main dishes to enjoy alongside this pasta salad are:

A glass bowl of quick and easy italian pasta salad recipe with homemade italian dressing. Rotini pasta with pepperoni, salsami, black olives, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, peppers, dressing and red onions!

Can I Prep Pasta Salad in Advance?

It’s best to prepare this pasta salad as close to eating it as possible. The longer it sits, the more it will absorb the dressing and turn bland in flavor. Not to mention, the noodles become overly soft and swollen.

If you wish to prepare this Italian pasta salad with pepperoni ahead of time, make sure the noodles are stored in a zip-top bag and the other ingredients are stored in a separate container with the dressing in a jar. That way, everything is prepped but nothing turns soggy!

Can Pasta Salad Be Frozen?

No. Oh, please no. Pasta does not hold up well in the freezer unless it’s in a casserole, and even then it really struggles because it absorbs the sauce or dressing just as it does in the fridge.

A glass bowl of quick and easy italian pasta salad recipe with homemade italian dressing. Rotini pasta with pepperoni, salsami, black olives, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, peppers, dressing and red onions!

Tips for Making Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

When cooking the pasta for this Italian pasta salad with pepperoni, you want to cook it just until al dente. Remember that the pasta will be sitting in the pasta salad dressing, so you want it to have a little bite to it otherwise it’ll become mushy.

Cut the vegetables, cheese and meats fairly small so you can get all those bold flavors and textures in every single bite.

Also note that you’re welcome to use any short, sturdy pasta you have on hand. We prefer rotini pasta, but penne, macaroni, or bow-tie pasta would work too!

Lastly, as we’ve mentioned in our other pasta salad recipe, you should never refrigerate pasta salad before serving it.  The pasta becomes mushy the longer it sits in the fridge, and fridge-cold pasta salad is often too dry for our liking.

Now Watch How This Italian Pasta Salad Recipe is Made…

Looking for a quick and delicious pasta salad recipe? This easy Italian pasta salad is loaded with fresh vegetables, herbs, and a zesty dressing. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a side dish. 

More PASTA SALAD RECIPES:

Easy Italian Pasta Salad

4.24 from 43 votes
Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Description

This easy Italian Pasta Salad is a crowd-pleasing dish perfect for summer picnics or potlucks. Packed with fresh vegetables, cheese, pepperoni and dressed with a zesty homemade Italian dressing, this salad is sure to be a hit.

Equipment

Ingredients 

For the Pasta Salad:

  • 1 Pound Rotini Pasta
  • 1 Cup Pepperoni, chopped
  • 1 Cup Salami, chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Black Olives, sliced
  • 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
  • 2 Tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Red Onion, chopped

For the Italian Dressing:

  • 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 Cup White Wine Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • 1 Tablespoon Red Bell Pepper, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Parsley, dried
  • 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Basil, dried
  • 1 teaspoon Oregano, dried
  • 1 teaspoon Sugar
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the Dressing:

  • Prepare the dressing by adding everything to a glass jar, adding the lid and shaking to combine, or whisking in a bowl.
    1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, 1 Tablespoon Red Bell Pepper, 1 Tablespoon Parsley, 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Garlic, 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice, 1 teaspoon Basil, 1 teaspoon Oregano, 1 teaspoon Sugar, Salt and Pepper, 1/4 Cup White Wine Vinegar

For the Pasta Salad:

  • Cook the pasta for about 7-8 minutes, or until it's just al dente.
    1 Pound Rotini Pasta
  • Place the cooked pasta in a strainer in the sink and let cool.
  • Add the mix in ingredients and the salad dressing as well as salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat and serve within 30 minutes.
    1 Cup Pepperoni, 1 Cup Salami, 1/2 Cup Black Olives, 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, 2 Tomatoes, 1 Red Bell Pepper, 1/2 Cup Red Onion

Notes

Store pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 562kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 20gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 890mgPotassium: 378mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 955IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 195mgIron: 2mg
Author: Carrian Cheney
Course: 15 of the Best Pasta Salad Recipes on the Internet, America’s Best 4th of July Desserts, Recipes and Sides
Cuisine: American, Italian

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May 2018: Originally Posted

March 2025: Content updated and video added