Description
A vibrant and flavorful Italian Pasta Salad featuring rotini pasta tossed with fresh bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, salami, pepperoni, olives, and red onion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb. Rotini pasta
- 1 small red bell pepper (about 1 cup diced)
- 1 small green bell pepper (about 1 cup diced)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (sliced)
- 1 cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 8 oz. Mozzarella pearls (about 1 ¼ cups)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup chopped salami (4–5 oz.)
- ¾ cup mini pepperoni
- 1 ¼ cup Italian salad dressing
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil (for drizzling)
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt (for pasta water)
Instructions
- Begin by boiling a large pot of water. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, season it generously with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.
- Add the rotini pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 30 seconds less than the package instructions recommend.
- Drain the pasta thoroughly and spread it out evenly on a tray or parchment paper. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to prevent sticking and allow it to cool completely.
- While the pasta is boiling and cooling, dice the red and green bell peppers, slice the cherry tomatoes, and slice the black olives. Finely dice the red onion and chop the fresh parsley.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, diced peppers, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, chopped salami, mini pepperoni, sliced olives, diced red onion, fresh parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Pour 1 ¼ cups of Italian salad dressing over the combined ingredients. Toss everything gently but thoroughly.
- For best flavor and texture, cover the salad and chill it in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving.
- If preparing the salad 8-12 hours in advance, reserve half a cup of additional Italian dressing. Toss the salad again with the extra dressing before serving.
Notes
- This salad is perfect for potlucks, picnics, or as a refreshing side dish.
- Use homemade Italian dressing for a fresher taste.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing and Chilling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: Italian Pasta Salad, Pasta Salad Recipe, Cold Pasta Salad