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We LOVE having a go-to side dish to bring to summer parties – and this pasta salad with Italian dressing is it!
Our family has been making this cold pasta salad for at least 10 years! It’s always a hit when we bring it to events.
Depending on the crowd you’re feeding, or what your family likes, you can customize the ingredients to your choosing. Regardless of what you decide to include, this pasta salad is easy and simply the best!
Other favorites include our Famous Potato Salad, Corn Salad, and Tortellini Salad. They’re all simple and great to enjoy all summer long.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- A summertime staple. We love to BBQ and gather for dinner with friends. This is one of our go-to salad recipes!
- Make ahead of time. Because it needs to chill, this is perfect for prepping in advance, plus the flavors just get better!
- Simple ingredients. Nothing complicated here, plus it’s easy to mix in some extras to change it up!
Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing Ingredients and Substitutions
- 16 ounces (4 cups) colored rotini pasta – We love the added colors of the tri-color rotini, but regular rotini, fusilli, farfalle, or penne pasta can all be used instead.
- ½ cup diced black olives
- ½ cup cubed Colby Jack cheese – fresh mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese
- ½ cup mini pepperoni slices – or use ham cubes, grilled chicken, crab, bacon, salami, or pepperoncini
- ¾-1 cup Italian dressing
- optional mix-ins – chopped cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped bell peppers, ham cubes, pepperoncini, artichoke hearts, green onions, or red onions
How to Make Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
- PASTA. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. For added flavor, add 1-1½ tablespoons of salt for every pound of pasta you are boiling.
- COMBINE. In a large bowl, combine cool pasta, olives, cheese, and pepperoni.
- Pour at least half of the Italian dressing into the pasta salad and mix well.
- Add any desired mix-ins to the pasta salad and mix well. We always use olives, cheese, and pepperonis – sometimes tomatoes and cucumbers.
- CHILL. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Stir in additional dressing to taste before serving.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- To make sure you get a forkful of different flavors, we chop all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- We only add ½ of the dressing when we toss it together so that all the flavors can meld together, then add the remaining dressing right before serving.
- Although we prefer tri-colored rotini, any short pasta with nooks and crannies to cradle the dressing works. Cook the pasta to al dente.
Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (4 cups) colored rotini pasta (fusilli, farfalle, and penne work too), cooked
- ½ cup diced black olives
- ½ cup cubed Colby Jack cheese
- ½ cup mini pepperoni slices
- ¾-1 cup Italian dressing
optional mix-ins
- chopped cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped peppers, ham cubes, pepperoncini, artichoke hearts
Instructions
- Cook pasta as directed on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, olives, cheese, and pepperoni.
- Pour at least half of the Italian dressing into the pasta salad and mix well.
- Add any desired mix-ins to the pasta salad and mix well.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Stir in additional dressing to taste before serving.
Video
Notes
- To make sure you get a forkful of different flavors, be sure to chop your ingredients into bite-sized pieces.
- We only add ½ of the dressing when we toss it together so that all the flavors can meld together, then add the remaining dressing right before serving.
- Any short pasta with nooks and crannies to cradle the dressing works. Cook the pasta to al dente.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Prepare the pasta the day before and only toss it with half of the dressing. Keep it covered and refrigerated, adding the remaining dressing right before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can have pasta salad for lunches and dinners all week!
Complete The Meal
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This recipe was originally published July 2013.
We love to add Kalamata or green olives for some extra tang. It’s our go-to pasta dish in the summer!
Ooh, sounds like a delicious addition!
Love this salad. We tried substituting the Colby w Parmesan which is good but doesn’t absorb the flavor as well as the Colby. Also, add green olives!
So glad you love it! Thank you for sharing what you did!
I made this pasta salad the other day and it turned out fantastic! I used ham instead of pepperoni and fresh green peppers and cucumbers from the garden. I also used a whole can of olives – not sliced, a whole onion – chopped and store-bought Italian dressing. The salad was amazing! This will now be in our rotation. Thank you Kristyn!
It’s the first time I made a pasta salad, and this handy recipe was just what I needed! I also appreciate that the recipe includes variation ingredients (add-ins) and is super easy to make!
that pasta salad looks pretty good
Hope you enjoy!!
I Added salad supreme to mine. Turned out awesome! Thanks for the recipe!
This recipe came out so good! And it’s easy. I added grilled chicken strips for added protein.
Yum! I bet that was tasty! So glad you enjoyed the pasta salad!
Hi Lilluna this pasta salad is the best one I’ve made! A great recipe! Thanks for posting!
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed the pasta salad!
Absolutely love this pasta!! It’s so good, I can eat it as a meal all on its own! 😀 I truly enjoy all of your recipes. I wish I could rate higher than 5 stars because they definitely rate passed 5!! Thank you for all the awesome recipes!
Love this recipe it’s quick and easy. It’s always a party favorite.
Great and easy recipe for summer picnics and bbq!
Love this pasta salad
I like Pasta Salad Recipes Cant wait to try it out
This is an especially attractive pasta salad. Usually they look kind of blah, but this one is colorful with the multicolored pasta and the add-ins.
I just made this recipe but added in Broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes and Cucumber chunks.
And that salad supreme seasoning that another review commented on using! Tasty and will be tastier in a few hours!
I loved your recipe
I’m making this a day ahead. So are you saying to not add any dressing at all until the next day or not all of the dressing? Please clarify.
This is such a great tasting salad. I added some cubed ham to mine. This will definitely become a regular side dish in my home.
Love love love this pasta salad. I actually just made this for Mother’s Day yesterday. So easy and good. I do add in a little purple onion and extra olives. So good.
Very nice
I added artichoke hearts, ham chunks, since I wasn’t in the mood for pepperoni, small diced sweet peppers. I snuck those in since my fiance refused to try them, lol, they were great!
Sounds tasty! Thanks for sharing what you did!
Looks and sounds good I would like to try to make it
This has been my go-to pasta salad since Summer. I use the creamy italian and everyone loves it. I love how you add what and as much as you want too.
Been making this since early 80’s. I have pimento’s in mine. Use diet Italian dressiby.
Made this for a large gathering just last week. It was a hit and the whole thing was eaten. YUMMY!
Love, Love, love this. This recipe is sooo good and always a hit
This is my new go-to side dish for summer bbq’s and potlucks! It’s beyond easy to throw together, and always a crowd pleaser.
This is a classic, go to pasta dish. It’s one were make frequently, and it’s so easy!
I made this for my church girls camp, the girls cleaned out the bowl and asked if I had more to make the next day. Id say that’s a great endorsement.
Best pasta salad! And so pretty with all of the different colors. Will definitely make again!
This is my go-to salad to take to BBQs with our neighbors during the summer. We especially love it on the Fourth of July. I love the crunch of the cucumbers in this salad!
The perfect easy Pasta Salad! I love adding the diced cucumbers too.
I want to know YOUR measurements for cheese, pepperoni, and olives.
Awesome, easy, delicious! We will probably make again and again. It’ll be fun to try variations of mix ins.
So glad you enjoyed the salad!
We add salad supreme seasoning to ours and it really kicks the flavor up a notch.
Ooh that sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Looks great
Thank you!
Love Love Love all salads amd pasta too.
Can you please put the amount for a single serving size. It would help figure out the carbs for someone that is IDD.
Thank you very much – it looks easy and delish!!
Serving size would be about a cup to cup & a half 🙂
Great potluck recipe- for both kids and adults.
Looks much health.
Thank you 🙂
this pasta salad is so full of flavor! I could eat it all day everyday!
A family favorite. This salad is easy to put together and filled with all the things we like. The dressing is light and makes a very good salad without the calories.
This is my go-to pasta salad! I love how easy it is to make & always try to keep the ingredients on hand. Anywhere I take it, it’s gone so fast!
Thank you!
Glad to share 🙂
Really very tasty and versatile in preparation of a dish.
Thank you 🙂 It’s our go-to for sure!
Thanks for the great recipe!
My children never liked the paste, but in this interpretation with the salad, they really liked it. They say that when they come from school and do all the lessons, I would have prepared a dish for them again. I am just in joy!
Sincerely, Anna, freelance writer at WritingCheap.
Oh, I am so glad they like it!! Thank you for letting me know!
Very good! Thank you!
You are so welcome!! Thank you for trying it!
This is my go-to salad for everything!! It is always a hit & gone so fast! And, I love how easy it is! The Italian dressing gives it a nice flavor!
This is my all time favorite pasta salad recipe. It’s super easy and so yummy.
Sometimes I like to use it as a main dish and put some parmesan chicken in the mix.
This looks really fresh and flavorful.
It is! I hope you try it soon!!
Wonderful recipe ! I love salads.
I love salads too!! This is one of my favorites! Thank you!
Do I see chopped tomato in your pasta salad? Have made your potato salad and I absolutely love it! Thanks for the great recipe.
I forgot to mention that! Sometimes I add chopped tomatoes and cucumbers. 😉 And I’m so glad you liked the potato salad – it’s our FAVORITE!!
Do you know about how much this recipe would serve?
I’ve never counted the servings, but I would guess about 10 or a little more. 😉
Someone I know makes something similar to this often, and I’ve been wanting the recipe! So easy and full of flavor. Thanks for sharing this. I’m still a newlywed and LOVE finding new recipes hubby will try! Planning to make soon for us. 🙂
You’re welcome, Hannah! Hope you like it (and that the hubby does too!). 😉
Thanks for all nice recipes.
This is so similar to the pasta salad that my in-laws have always made. It is simple but really can’t be beat. It is always a hit for both the adults and kids!
It’s definitely a hit for the adults and kids! Thanks for stopping by! 😀
Sorry about that! It is meant to say 1 cup per serving. Thanks for catching that!