Italian Pasta Salad is one of our favorite pasta salad recipes. This is an easy, make-ahead salad that is perfect for meal prep. Every bite is loaded with rotini, salami, mozzarella, olives, healthy veggies, and a homemade creamy Italian Dressing.
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Pasta Salad Ingredients:
Italian Pasta Salad is a meal in itself with protein, grains and plenty of vegetables. It has vibrant Italian flavors with kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella cheese, salami, and parsley.
We love that you can change up the ingredients based on what you have on hand. Try substituting with diced bell pepper, or crunchy broccoli, or use Feta instead of Mozarella cheese to add some Greek flavors. P.S. If you’re feeling adventurous, roasting your own bell peppers will take this salad to the next level.
What is the Best Italian Dressing?
We love homemade Italian dressing for the best flavor and because you can use high-quality oil and seasonings. In a pinch, store-bought Italian dressings will work. We like Newman’s Own brand Italian dressing and Ken’s brand Italian dressing.
How to Make Pasta Salad Video Tutorial:
I hope this Pasta Salad Recipe becomes a new favorite for you. It makes meal prep so easy! If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and click the bell icon so you get a notification when we post a new video.
What is the Best Pasta for Salad?
We love rotini noodles for pasta salad. Rotini is the spiral-shaped pasta you will see in the photos here. You can buy them in the traditional pasta color or in a multicolor blend which can be really fun for a pasta salad. You can also experiment with different kinds of pasta such as shell pasta or macaroni.
How to Cook Pasta for Pasta Salad:
Cook your pasta in salted water according to package instructions until it is aldenté. Aldente means firm to the bite. Pasta that is overcooked can seem mushy in pasta salad and will absorb more dressing so make sure you don’t overcook. As soon as the pasta is aldenté, drain in a colander then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, chill the pasta, and rinse off excess starch to keep the pasta from sticking.
Cook’s Tip: Buttered pasta doesn’t work well for pasta salad so do not add butter or oil after your pasta is cooked. Rinsing in cold water is enough to prevent noodles from sticking together and there is plenty of oil in the salad dressing.
More Pasta Salad Recipes:
- Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad
- Caesar Pasta Salad
- Chicken Orzo Pasta Salad
- Cucumber Cauliflower Ditalini Pasta Salad
Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz rotini pasta
- 6 oz salami, sliced into strips
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved (3 cups)
- 1/2 English cucumber, diced
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, pearls or halved mozzarella balls
- 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers* drained and coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup Italian dressing, or added to taste
Instructions
- Cook rotini pasta according to package instructions in salted water just until pasta is aldente (firm to the bite).
- While pasta cooks, prep remaining ingredients and make Italian Dressing.
- Add dressing just to the portion fo salad you plan to eat. Enjoy right away or cover and let the salad marinate for 1-3 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Amazing recipe, very informative post.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for your great review. I appreciate it!
Hello! It looks great! Could you put the quantities in grams also, please?
Thank you!
Hello Bianca. When you click on “Jump to recipe” click on “Metrics” and it will show you the ingredients in grams. Hope that helps!
Hi Natasha, it shows it on other recipes, but on this particular one the feature is not available
Thank you for noticing Biana, We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes but it is taking some time as we have to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help.
Thank you!😁
I have made many dishes by following your blogs. I was looking for some delicious salads. It looks awesome.
From now I will add this at least in a week.
Cheers!!
Sounds like you have a new family favorite! That’s so great!
love watching her video’s, what a hot looking woman, very informative recipe’s, my guest think I’m a master chief
Happy to hear you’re liking our recipes, Kyle!
I also add artichoke hearts.
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing that with me!
you mentioned a link for the black lunch containers you suggested putting the salad into it. i cannot find the link
Hi Daniele, we have it linked to the Youtube video description. Here’s a copy of that link for you.
My family LOVED this. I made it while cooped up this weekend on house arrest. It was delicious. We didn’t have any parsley and I had to use shredded mozz cheese but it was delicious!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Andi! That’s so great!
Us, too! We are on government groundation (lol) and had everything to make this except fresh parsley – and it was amazing!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m happy you enjoyed that, Irene.
i Fail to mention how bubbly and you always smiling.you so happy,I like when you fling things it’s so natural.keep showing does great recipes.
Thank you for noticing that, Gladys. It naturally just comes out when I am cooking!
lay your tomatoes on the cutting board put a plate on top of them to hold them all together (bottom of plate on the top of the tomatoes) and take a long knife and come from the side while holding down on the plates and cut through all the tomatoes with one swipe. It works like a champ
Awesome! Thanks for the suggestion.
If the dressing is made ahead, how long would it last in the fridge? I have made this salad for many family reunions and also for myself; but have always used store bought dressing.
Hi Cheryl, you can definitely use your favorite store-bought dressing. I have in a pinch or when I just don’t have time to make the dressing. I always have a bottle of storebought on hand. The homemade dressing will last up to 2 weeks refrigerated.
You asked if someone knew of an easy way to slice cherry tomatoes. I saw this on one of those FB videos and admit that I haven’t tried it. Take a dinner plate and set it upside down on the counter. Place the cherry tomatoes in a single layer on top inside the plate bottom rim. Place another plate gently right side up on top of the tomatoes. Then slice through all the tomatoes at once. Not sure whether it works or not, but may be worth a try. Enjoy your videos and recipes a lot. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me Linda! That is a great idea! I’ll have to try it!
Hi
You mentioned in Your video, if anyone had a tip to cut cherry tomatoes easier to let u know. I use 2 plastic round lids put tomatoes in between and slice right inbetween the two tops. It keeps them from rolling around and you can do many at the same time ! Thank you for sharing this recipe
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Joanne! I’ll have to give that a try!
I made the Italian salad dressing and it is awesome! The best ever had! And I’ve tried a lot! I love your recipes! Thank You!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
The saucer suggestion works very well, have used it for years.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi! I didn’t see the link to the food scraper in the notes. Would you please tell me where I can find it?
Thanks!
Here’s the amazon link to it. I hope that helps!
To slice cherry tomatoes. Use two saucers. Put the tomatoes in one saucer. Place the second saucer on top of the tomatoes. Use your serrated knife between the two saucers in a sawing motion. I saw this on another cooking show but I have not Tri it. If you do let me know how it works.
Bob
Thanks for the suggestion, Robert. I should give that a try!
That looks so yummy! Can’t wait to try this. Love your videos!
I hope you love this recipe, Linda! Thank you for that awesome review.
My family would love this! Can’t wait to try it.
I hope you love this recipe! We look forward to your feedback!
Pasta salad is my favorite, and this looks INCREDIBLE. I can’t wait to try it!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Katie!
This salad looks soooo good! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome, Allyson! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!