This Italian Pasta Salad is full of bold, fresh flavor thanks to a zesty homemade Italian dressing that's worth the extra few minutes. It's quick to make, easy to prep ahead, and loaded with pasta, crisp veggies, savory salami, and creamy mozzarella, making it a reliable crowd-pleaser for potlucks, BBQs, and easy lunches.
I feel like pasta salad is one of those dishes that somehow shows up at every BBQ, potluck, and family gathering - but let's be honest, it's usually kind of an afterthought. Most of the time it's dry, bland, or just... there.
This Italian Pasta Salad is going to change that.
Packed with fresh, crunchy veggies, creamy mozzarella, savory salami, and tossed in a bold, zesty homemade Italian dressing, this pasta salad is anything but boring. Every bite is loaded with flavor - no sad, soggy noodles or bottled dressings here!
It's the perfect side dish for spring and summer gatherings, but honestly? It's hearty enough to stand on its own as a quick lunch or easy weeknight dinner too. Plus, it holds up beautifully in the fridge, making it an awesome option for meal prep.
Whether you're heading to a BBQ, planning a picnic, or just trying to get ahead on weekday meals, this Italian Pasta Salad is guaranteed to be a dish people actually get excited about. (Be prepared for people to ask you for the recipe!)
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Equipment
- Large pot and colander
- Cutting board and knives
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pasta: I recommend using organic rotini pasta. The quality of your pasta really does make a difference in this recipe. Good dried pasta should look a bit chalky and rough (not smooth and shiny).
- Shallot: I use a large shallot for this recipe but you can substitute about a ⅓rd cup of finely chopped red onion in a pinch.
- Fresh Garlic: Fresh garlic is always best. I recommend staying away from jarred minced garlic as it often has an unpleasant aftertaste.
- Wine vinegar: Red or white wine vinegar work for this recipe. In a pinch you can use Champagne or even plain white vinegar.
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Olive oil
- Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Dijon mustard
- Sweet mini bell peppers: You can also use regular bell peppers but I think the mini ones tend to have more flavor.
- Sweet baby tomatoes
- Sliced black olives: Be sure to drain the can before adding
- Marinated artichoke hearts: I recommend using marinated rather than fresh or jarred in water. It adds great flavor.
- Pepperoncini peppers
- Salami: You can add more or less meat depending on preference. If you don't have salami feel free to replace with mortodello, pepperoni or another Italian cured meat of your choosing.
- Fresh mozzarella: I recommend using a fresh ball or mozzarella and then dicing it into small pieces. If you'd prefer to use the mini mozzarella balls those work too.
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley
Tips & Tricks for perfect pasta salad.
- Don't overcook the pasta. Make sure to cook the pasta to just al dente (usually a minute or two before the recommended cooking time).
- Salt the pasta water. This adds flavor to the pasta as it cooks.
- Use high quality ingredients. Your ingredients make all the difference in this recipe.
Italian Pasta Salad FAQs
This recipe will last about 3 days in the fridge. But rather than assemble the entire dish in advance I recommend prepping all the ingredients (including making the Italian dressing) and then storing them in the fridge until just before serving. Then simply mix them all together and serve for optimum taste!
You certainly can. I like rotini but fusilli also works great as does cavatappi, farfalle or even penne. You want to be sure to choose a pasta that has a lot of nooks and crannies to catch all the dressing and flavor.
You can use your favorite store bought Italian dressing if you're in a pinch. But believe me when I tell you the homemade dressing really takes it to the next level. It's super easy to whisk together and gives the salad a fresh, zesty flavor you just can't get from a bottle.
Absolutely! Just leave out the salami and load it up with even more veggies, or add in some chickpeas or white beans for a little extra protein.
Usually I would say no, but when it comes to cold pasta salads the answer is Yes! Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and keeps it from getting mushy. It also helps the pasta cool down quickly so it doesn't soak up too much dressing too fast.
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Made this Italian pasta salad recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Italian Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Large pot
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 16 oz dry rotini pasta
- 12 sweet mini peppers, stems removed and diced can substitute with 2 large sweet bell peppers
- 10 oz sweet baby tomatoes, cut in half
- 2.25 oz can of sliced black olive, drained
- 7 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- ¼ cup pepperoncini peppers, finely chopped
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, diced
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Italian Dressing
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar can substitute with white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- pinch of red pepper flakes optional
- 1 cup olive oil
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking make the dressing. Add shallots and garlic to a bowl along with red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt. Allow to marinate for at least 5 minutes.Then add remaining dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine cooked pasta with mini peppers, tomatoes, sliced black olives, artichoke hearts, pepperonicini peppers, mozzarella, parmesan and fresh parsley. Pour the dressing over the top and mix until well combined. Season with additional salt & pepper to taste and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Eliza
What a gorgeous pasta salad! I love all the different flavors and ingredients you've combined, and having it made in a jar so it's mobile is going to solve so many lunch dilemmas for our family. Thanks for another winning recipe from Jam Jar Kitchen!
Irena Macri
Very tasty salad, especially the dressing! I will make extra next time so I can use it on another salad as well. I want to try this with brown rice instead of pasta as well.
Anjali
This was such a refreshing side dish for our dinner last night! It was bright, flavorful and looked so beautiful on our dinner table!
Rika
I love how it's loaded with veggies too! It would be perfect for a summer picnic.
Casey
I LOVE pasta salad and this recipe was so GOOD! I didn't have balsamic, so I just used red wine vinegar and it was still amazing!!! Thanks for sharing!