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Pizza Pasta Salad

Pizza pasta salad with pepperoni, mozzarella, olives, peppers, and Italian dressing tossed with rotini for a pizza-inspired party salad. Chilled for at least 2 hours, it keeps the pasta springy and the toppings evenly coated.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pizza pasta salad mix
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
  • 2 cups pepperoni slices, halved
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, cubed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 0.5 cup black olives, sliced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and rinse pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook the rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain.
  2. Rinse the rotini pasta with cold water until cooled to stop cooking, then let it drain well.
Build the pizza pasta salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine rotini pasta with pepperoni slices, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, green bell pepper, black olives, and red onion.
  2. Add Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder over the pasta and toppings.
  3. Toss until everything is well coated so the dressing clings to the pasta and the cheese is evenly distributed.
Chill and serve
  1. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill and meld the flavors.
  2. Toss again right before serving, then serve chilled.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water so it doesn’t turn gummy and stays springy after chilling. Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat mozzarella and swap part of the Italian dressing for a low-sugar version.