Italian Pasta Salad

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Everyone loves a tasty pasta salad, and one of the most iconic is Italian pasta salad. Between the tri color rotini to the melody of chopped veggies to the savory Italian salami, this cold pasta salad is as delicious as it is recognizable.

Plus, salads like this are perfect for feeding a crowd and travel well, so it can easily become a go-to side dish for any occasion.

What goes in pasta salad with Italian dressing?

• Pasta – This pasta salad is designed to use tri color rotini pasta for a classic look and color, but you can use any type of pasta that you like.
• Italian salami – One of the main reasons for this cold pasta salad’s name, Italian salami brings a ton of flavor and a little spice.
• Lots of veggies – Like the pasta, you can jazz this pasta salad up with any combination of vegetables that you like, but it’s traditionally made with red grape tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, red onion, and black olives.
• Mozzarella cheese – Cheese is a must in any salad (pasta or not), and this recipe capitalizes on the Italian flair with chunky mozzarella.
• Italian dressing – Whether you use store-bought or homemade dressing, this is a staple for bringing all of the flavors together.

How long does Italian pasta salad last?

When stored in a sealed container, this pasta salad should last for up to three to five days.

Can you freeze Italian pasta salad?

Bad news here, guys. I personally can’t recommend freezing pasta salad. It can be done, but you might get wildly different results depending on when you freeze it, how it’s packaged, etc. And even if you do everything correctly, freezing and thawing will ultimately remove a bit of water from all ingredients, which could greatly impact the texture of the salad.

However, if you’re dead set on freezing a pasta salad for later, check out this article for a complete guide: Tips to Freezing Pasta Salads.

What goes good with Italian pasta salad

This type of pasta dish is typically served as a side, and it goes best with mild-to-medium flavored dishes. Here are a few suggestions:

Grilled or marinated meats, such as:

• Grilled Honey Balsamic Chicken
• Italian Style Meatball Kabobs
• Smoky Ranch Pork Chops
• Sweet Italian Chicken

Brothy vegetable soups, such as:

• Minestrone Soup
• Ham and Vegetable Soup
• Lasagna Soup

Strong vegetable dishes, such as:

• Baked Mexican Street Corn
• Zucchini Lasagna Boats

Notes & this for this pasta salad

• If you don’t already have one, you’ll need an extra large bowl to mix all of the ingredients together.
• Red onions can pack a bit of a bite, so if you’re looking for a milder flavor, try soaking the onions first. To do this, submerge the red onion in a bowl of ice cold water and let it soak for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the onions, pat them dry, and then use in the recipe as directed. 

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How to make pasta salad with Italian dressing

Step 1 – Cook the pasta per the package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse the pasta with cold water.

Step 2 – Add the following ingredients to a large bowl: cooled pasta, Italian salami, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, mozzarella, black olives, Parmesan cheese, Italian salad dressing, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Use a spatula or two spoons to gently toss everything together.

Step 3 – Cover the bowl and chill for at least two hours.

Step 4 – Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Details

Italian Pasta Salad

4.50 from 24 votes

Author: Chrisy Toombs

Time: 20 minutes mins prep + 2 hours hrs chilling

Servings: 10 servings

This easy cold Italian pasta salad packs a ton of flavor with Italian salami and freshly chopped veggies that are tossed with rotini pasta and Italian dressing.

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• 12 ounce tri color rotini pasta
• 2/3 pound Italian salami, chopped
• 1/2 chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 8 ounce mozzarella, cut into cubes
• 6 ounce black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup Italian dressing
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pinch salt, to taste
• 1 pinch black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

• Cook rotini pasta per package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water, then set pasta aside.
  12 ounce tri color rotini pasta
• In a large bowl, add cooled pasta, Italian salami, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, mozzarella, black olives, Parmesan cheese, Italian salad dressing, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Gently toss all ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.
  2/3 pound Italian salami, 1/2 chopped green bell pepper, 1/2 chopped red bell pepper, 1/2 chopped red onion, 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, 8 ounce mozzarella, 6 ounce black olives, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 1 cup Italian dressing, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch black pepper
• Cover bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Serve Italian pasta salad immediately.

Video

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 1411mg | Potassium: 289mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 1mg