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
Video
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.
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!
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This recipe was originally published July 2013.
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!