Go Back
Easy Italian Pasta Salad

Easy Italian Pasta Salad

This easy Italian pasta salad is a fresh, flavorful, and crowd-pleasing dish made with rotini, salami, mozzarella, crisp vegetables, and zesty Italian dressing. Ready in under 30 minutes, it is perfect for meal prep, BBQs, and potlucks, and tastes even better the next day.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g rotini pasta
  • 150 g salami, diced
  • 200 g fresh mozzarella, cubed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
  • 3/4 cup Italian dressing
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • large pot
  • colander
  • large mixing bowl
  • knife
  • cutting board

Method
 

  1. Dice the bell peppers and red onion, halve the cherry tomatoes, cube the salami and mozzarella, and place everything in a large bowl.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini slightly under al dente. Drain without rinsing.
  3. Add the hot pasta to the bowl with the prepared ingredients. Immediately add Italian dressing, Parmesan, and olives, then toss well.
  4. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and toss again to evenly distribute flavors.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Stir and refresh with extra dressing if needed.

Notes

Salt your pasta water היט generously for the best flavor. Toss dressing with warm pasta so it absorbs fully. Reserve some dressing to refresh before serving. For variations, add chicken, swap salami for chickpeas, or use gluten-free pasta. Store up to 4 days refrigerated.