When the weather warms up and the invitations to backyard barbecues, picnics, and potlucks start rolling in, you need a reliable, crowd pleasing side dish in your culinary arsenal. Enter the Classic Pasta Salad.
Bright, colorful, and packed with fresh, zesty flavors, this cold pasta salad is the quintessential summer recipe. It features tender tri-color rotini pasta, crisp vegetables, savory pepperoni, and creamy mozzarella cheese, all tossed together in a tangy Italian vinaigrette.
Just like a nostalgic Green Pea Salad with Bacon and Cheese or a light and refreshing Cucumber Strawberry Salad, this pasta salad is incredibly easy to make and actually tastes better the next day. It is the perfect make ahead dish that takes the stress out of entertaining!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
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The Ultimate Make Ahead Dish: Pasta salad needs time in the fridge for the noodles to soak up the dressing. You can make this 24 hours in advance, freeing up your time on the day of your event!
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Highly Customizable: Think of this recipe as a blank canvas. Don’t like black olives? Swap them for artichoke hearts. Prefer a different cheese? Cubed cheddar or provolone works beautifully.
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Pairs with Everything: Whether you are serving up an easy weeknight BBQ Ranch Chicken Casserole or grilling fun Smashburger Quesadillas, this cold, zesty salad cuts through rich flavors perfectly.
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Feeds a Crowd: A single box of pasta yields a massive bowl of salad, making it incredibly budget friendly for large gatherings.
Essential Ingredients
To build the perfect bite, you need a great balance of textures and flavors. Here is what you will need:
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Tri-Color Rotini Pasta: 1 standard box (12-16 oz). The corkscrew shape is essential because it grabs and holds onto the Italian dressing perfectly. The tri-color adds a beautiful visual appeal.
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Cherry Tomatoes: 1 pint, halved. They add a juicy, sweet burst of freshness.
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Bell Pepper: 1 medium bell pepper (red, green, or yellow), diced for a satisfying crunch.
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Red Onion: ½ of a small red onion, finely diced, to add a sharp, pungent bite.
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Black Olives: 1 can (2.25 oz) of sliced black olives, drained.
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Mozzarella Pearls: 8 oz of fresh mozzarella pearls. (If you can’t find pearls, just buy a block of mozzarella and cube it).
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Pepperoni or Salami: ½ cup of mini pepperoni or chopped salami for a savory, salty kick.
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Italian Dressing: 1 cup of your favorite zesty Italian salad dressing. You can use store bought to save time, or whisk together a quick homemade vinaigrette!
Need a dessert for your BBQ? Follow up this savory pasta salad with a stunning, no bake Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad or some flaky Easy Sweet Cinnamon Twists!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Boil the Pasta Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the tri-color rotini and cook according to the package directions until al dente (usually about 8-10 minutes). Do not overcook the pasta, or it will turn to mush when you mix the salad!
Step 2: Rinse and Cool Drain the pasta into a colander and immediately rinse it under cold water. Rinsing stops the cooking process and removes excess starch, preventing the noodles from sticking together in a massive clump. Let it drain well.
Step 3: Prep the Mix Ins While the pasta is boiling and cooling, prep your veggies and meats. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the bell pepper and red onion, and drain the olives and mozzarella pearls.
Step 4: Combine In a massive mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella, and pepperoni.
Step 5: Dress and Toss Pour the Italian dressing over the top of the salad ingredients. Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to gently toss everything together until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated in the dressing.
Step 6: Chill Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. This chilling time is mandatory it allows the pasta to soak up the tangy dressing and the flavors to marry together!
Classic Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz tri-color rotini pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives, drained
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls (or cubed mozzarella)
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni (or chopped salami)
- 1 cup zesty Italian dressing
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Shake off excess water and let cool completely.
- While the pasta cools, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the bell pepper and red onion, and drain the olives and mozzarella.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella, and pepperoni.
- Pour the Italian dressing over the salad and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
- Stir before serving. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. Serve cold.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Make Ahead Strategy: The pasta will soak up a lot of the dressing as it sits in the fridge overnight. If you are making this a day in advance, toss the salad with ¾ cup of the dressing. Right before serving the next day, drizzle the remaining ¼ cup over the top and give it a fresh toss to wake up the flavors!
Storing Leftovers: Store any leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It makes a fantastic, quick lunch during the week! (Note: Do not freeze pasta salad; the texture of the vegetables and noodles will be ruined upon thawing).
Meal Prep Note: If you are prepping a whole week of food, make a batch of Hashbrown Sausage Bites or a hearty Tater Tot Breakfast Bowl with Sausage Gravy to cover your mornings, and enjoy this pasta salad for your lunches!