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Italian Pasta Salad

Italian pasta salad with rotini tossed in Italian dressing and folded with salami, cubed mozzarella, olives, and bell peppers for a classic antipasto salad feel. Chill it for at least 2 hours so the pasta absorbs flavor and stays colorful for potlucks and picnics.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian pasta salad
  • 1 lb rotini pasta Rotini holds dressing well and adds bite.
  • 1 can (16 oz) Italian dressing Use bottled Italian dressing; add extra if needed before serving.
  • 8 oz salami Cut into cubes for even bites.
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese Cube the cheese so it mixes cleanly.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halve for flavor in every forkful.
  • 1 cup black olives Slice for easy mixing and eating.
  • 1 cup green bell pepper Dice for consistent texture.
  • 1 cup red bell pepper Dice for consistent texture.
  • 0.5 cup red onion Dice small so it distributes evenly.
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese Grate so it disperses through the salad.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Sprinkle for classic Italian aroma.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool pasta
  1. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and cool it fast.
  2. Spread the rinsed pasta on a sheet pan to cool further for about 5 minutes, so it doesn’t clump before dressing.
Toss the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with Italian dressing and toss to coat so every piece is glossy.
  2. Add the salami, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, black olives, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and red onion, then toss to distribute the mix evenly with visible pepper and olive pieces.
  3. Sprinkle over Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, then toss again until the surface looks evenly speckled.
Chill and finish
  1. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 2 hours, tossing occasionally, until it looks more cohesive and the flavors blend.
  2. Before serving, taste and add more Italian dressing if needed, then toss briefly so the salad looks shiny rather than dry.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water so it stays firm after chilling. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; the salad freezes poorly because cheese and peppers change texture. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat mozzarella while keeping the same amounts of vegetables and salami.