Italian Pasta Salad

This Italian pasta salad that’s loaded with tri-color rotini pasta, salami, bell peppers, and mozzarella is quick to make and full of flavor for a delicious summer meal.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Servings: 12

This simple Italian pasta salad comes together quickly with salami, colorful vegetables, and flavorful salad dressing. 

How to Make Italian Pasta Salad

You’ll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let’s go over the basics:

Italian Pasta Salad Ingredients

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this quick and easy Italian pasta salad recipe: 

• Pasta: This colorful Italian pasta salad recipe starts with tri-color rotini pasta.
• Salami: Finely diced Italian salami lends meaty, salty flavor. 
• Vegetables: You’ll need green and red bell peppers, a red onion, and canned black olives.
• Cheese: Small fresh mozzarella balls add creaminess and rich bursts of flavor. Shredded Parmesan cheese, meanwhile, is the perfect finishing touch. 
• Dressing: You’ll need a cup of Italian-style dressing and three packages of dry Italian-style salad dressing mix.

How to Make Pasta Salad With Italian Dressing

Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this Italian pasta salad at home: 

1. Boil the pasta until tender-yet-firm.
2. Combine the pasta, salami, veggies, and mozzarella in a bowl.
3. Toss in salad dressing, then stir in the dressing mix. 
4. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving. 

Can You Make Italian Pasta Salad Ahead of Time? 

This Italian pasta salad is a great make-ahead potluck dish. In fact, since the flavors will continue to meld as they sit together in the fridge, this dish might actually taste better if you make it a day in advance. 

How to Store Italian Pasta Salad

Store your leftover Italian pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings

• 1 (12 ounce) package tri-color rotini pasta
• ¾ pound Italian salami, finely diced
• ½ green bell pepper, sliced
• ½ red bell pepper, sliced
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives
• 8 ounces small fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine)
• 1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
• 3 (.7 ounce) packages dry Italian-style salad dressing mix, or to taste
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rotini pasta at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.
3. Combine pasta, salami, bell peppers, onion, mozzarella balls, and olives in a large bowl. Add salad dressing and toss to coat.
4. Season pasta salad with dry salad dressing mix and stir to combine.
5. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)