Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing is one of those easy side dishes we make all the time because it is simple, full of flavor, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Our family has been making this cold pasta salad for at least a few decades! Loaded with pasta, cheese, pepperoni, and a zesty dressing, it is great for cookouts, potlucks, holidays, and weeknight dinners. If you need a make ahead side dish that everyone loves, this recipe never fails.
What makes this recipe so good is how customizable it is. You can keep it simple or load it with extra vegetables and mix-ins depending on what your family loves. If you love easy sides, try Macaroni Salad, Broccoli Salad, Potato Salad, and Fruit Salad.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- A summertime staple: We love to BBQ and gather for dinner with friends. This is one of our go-to salad recipes!
- Flavorful Dressing: Italian dressing adds flavor without needing extra ingredients.
- 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 Ingredients
- Colored Rotini Pasta (16 ounces): Holds the dressing well and adds fun color. Fusilli, farfalle, or penne also work. We love the added colors of the tri-color rotini, but regular rotini, fusilli, farfalle, or penne pasta can all be used instead.
- Black Olives (½ cup): Adds salty flavor and texture.
- Colby Jack Cheese (½ cup): Adds creaminess and rich flavor. We also like to use fresh mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese.
- Mini Pepperoni Slices (½ cup): Adds savory flavor and makes the salad more filling. Or use ham cubes, grilled chicken, crab, bacon, salami, or pepperoncini.
- Italian Dressing (¾-1 cup): Adds zesty flavor and brings everything together.
- Optional Mix-Ins: Add extra flavor, texture, and color based on what your family enjoys. Try 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. Enjoy this easy pasta salad recipe!
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Rinse the pasta with cold water so it cools quickly and stops cooking.
- Save some dressing for right before serving since pasta absorbs liquid as it chills.
- Cut mix-ins into similar-sized pieces for easier serving.
- Chill for at least 2 hours for the best flavor.
- To make sure you get a forkful of different flavors, we chop all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- Although we prefer tri-colored rotini, any short pasta with nooks and crannies to cradle the dressing works. Cook the pasta to al dente.
Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
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
- Rinse the pasta with cold water so it cools quickly and stops cooking.
- Save some dressing for right before serving since pasta absorbs liquid as it chills.
- Cut mix-ins into similar-sized pieces for easier serving.
- Chill for at least 2 hours for the best flavor.
- To make sure you get a forkful of different flavors, we chop all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
Nutrition
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.
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!