Italian pasta salad is one of my favorite cold pasta salad dishes! Fresh and colorful vegetables, cheese, salami, and Italian vinaigrette are tossed with your favorite pasta to create an unforgettable dish for just about any summer occasion.
Pasta salads are one of my go-to potluck dishes from easy and fresh Greek Pasta Salad to a delicious Caesar Pasta Salad and of course my famous Dill Pickle Pasta Salad! Not only does everyone love them, but pasta salads are super easy to make and they’re even better when made ahead of time!
Potluck Perfect Pasta Salad
Whenever summer rolls around, we always seem to be headed to barbecues, potlucks, and patio parties. Of course, I’m always asked to bring a big pitcher of Classic Mojitos (it’s the drink I’m known for) but I almost always bring a cold pasta salad recipe along too! This Italian Pasta Salad recipe is a really fun twist on a classic pasta salad because it’s loaded with so many goodies. It travels well and goes with pretty much anything.
Big Bold Flavors
This easy pasta salad recipe is loaded with flavor, you can add in your own favorite Italian inspired ingredients; diced artichokes and sundried tomatoes also make great additions!
Ingredients for pasta salad:
- Bold Flavors: cheese, salami, olives, and Italian seasonings add a big punch of flavor
- Crunch: Bell pepper adds great for color, crunch, and flavor
- Veggies: I love the juicy tang tomatoes add, throw in some cucumbers or any veggies you have on hand
Noodles for Pasta Salad
Tri-color rotini does an amazing job at holding the cheese and Italian dressing in the crevices for max flavor, but you can use shells, or whatever medium noodles you happen to have handy!
Cook the pasta al dente so it isn’t mushy and it holds up well to the dressing.
Tips to Make the Perfect Italian Pasta Salad
- Cut your veggies small: Cutting your vegetables into pieces slightly smaller than bite-sized will ensure that you get a taste of everything in each bite!
- Don’t overcook your noodles: Overcooking will make a mushy pasta salad as the acids from the dressing will break down the starches farther. Shock your noodles once they are cooked al dente in cold water for best results!
- Cool your pasta before adding the toppings: You don’t want to begin to cook your vegetables while you toss everything together!
- Let your pasta salad sit before you serve it: This gives the dressing a chance to really permeate your veggies and pasta, resulting in a more flavorful and delicious Italian pasta salad!
- Keep it colorful: If you are adding some extra veggies you have on hand, keep your pasta salad fun and colorful! I love adding things like artichokes, shredded carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, etc.
Italian Pasta Salad Dressing
To make this recipe quick and easy, I use a bottled Italian dressing but of course, homemade Italian Dressing is amazing if you have the ingredients on hand.
Make ahead… The best thing about this pasta salad recipe is that it gets better as it sits and the flavors blend! It’s the perfect make ahead side dish, it takes 20 only about minutes to prepare. What could be better than that?
As this Italian pasta salad sits in the fridge, the acids in the dressing actually work to help break down the starches in the pasta and the proteins in the veggies, resulting in a more flavorful and tender pasta salad (so be sure not to overcook your noodles)!
Make Homemade Italian Dressing combine the following:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or use half olive oil, half vegetable oil)
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or your favorite)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Favorite Pasta Salad Recipes
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad
- Bow Tie Pasta Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Easy Greek Pasta Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces tricolor rotini
- 8 ounces salami chopped
- 1 cup Italian vinaigrette dressing store-bought or homemade
- 1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- ½ orange bell pepper diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Rinse under cold water.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Pasta, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Very delicious! Quick and easy.
I am glad you liked this pasta salad Jess!
I’m making this today. Very happy to get some ideas that are tasty and doesn’t require you to be in the kitchen all day. My husband loves to eat and he enjoys a great cold pasta salad so I will be rating this today
How long about will this last in the fridge
I usually keep it 2-3 days. After that I find the veggies can get a bit soft.
My daughter is vegetarian so I loaded in 1/2 can of artichoke hearts and a handful of fresh spinach (both chopped). We used Ken’s Steakhouse Simply Vinaigrette Italian (about a cup). It was good enough to add to our Family Cookbook of absolute favorites!
What a great idea Nora! So happy your family loves this pasta salad as much as we do!
I love this pasta! Your recipe is almost exactly like mine. I also use salami, “Genoa”, which is a hard salami. I stack the slices and cut the stack into 4ths. I like to use “Wishbone Robusto Italian” salad dressing for this pasta salad, only b/c I like it better than a Vinaigrette. I also add some (to taste) “McCormick Salad Supreme”, which has incredible flavor. Whenever I bring this pasta dish to an event, I’m always asked for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing your changes Angelina, they sound fantastic!
Looks so refreshing and yummy. But only half teaspoon of dressing?
I see the whole recipe now. Thank you. I will have to make it.
This recipe calls for 1 cup bottled Italian vinaigrette dressing and ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Hope that helps :) Enjoy Dana!
Your dishes look so delicious!!!
Thank you so much Stephanie!! ❤️
Would it be acceptable to make this for a Christmas carry in in the winter? Haha
I think the bright colors are PERFECT for the holiday season Maddie! Enjoy!
This recepie was the winner when my friend asked me to make a pasta salad… It did not disappoint… Amazing flavor and so beautiful and colorful… Oh and I should mention so easy to make
So glad you loved it Misty!
Can I use Olive Garden Italian dressing?
Sure you can, that would be delicious!
Instead of so many peppers, can I add chopped zucchini to this pasta salad?
I think that would be delicious!
I don’t eat pork so what can i subsititute for the salami
You could try a turkey pepperoni.
Can this sit overnight for a party. tomorrow?
Yes this recipe is great made ahead of time.
How many servings does this recipe account for ?
This recipe makes 12 servings
Can I ask what Italian vinaigrette you use?
I usually buy whatever brand is on sale at the time! No real preference for the dressing.
Super simple, detailed, economical, light meal for the family! I love that you’re including many “on-hand” ingredients. I’m about to make this today. I will be using the added veggie suggestions as well. Tfs!
Enjoy Sherrie!
Pasta salad is a perfect summer food Mirlene. I agree!
This definitely looks like the perfect potluck dish! Love how colorful it is!
It sure is Sue!
This is the perfect way to get my kids to eat veggies…mixing them with salami and pasta (their favorite foods!) :)
Bonus Alyssa!
I could dive right into this bowl and eat it every day for lunch. I love pasta salads like this and your tips are spot on!
Thank you Karen!
This is my kind of pasta salad. I love all the colours and it would be perfect for a BBQ.
Thank you Danielle, it’s one of our favorites!