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Supreme Pasta Salad

Supreme pasta salad with tri-color rotini, loaded meats, mozzarella, vegetables, and a creamy Italian dressing. Cook, rinse cold, then chill for 2 hours so every bite stays crisp and tangy.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 650

Ingredients
  

tri-color rotini pasta
  • 1 lb tri-color rotini pasta
salami
  • 8 oz salami cubed
pepperoni
  • 8 oz pepperoni quartered
mozzarella cheese
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese cubed
cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
cucumber
  • 1 cup cucumber diced
black olives
  • 1 cup black olives sliced
green bell pepper
  • 1 cup green bell pepper diced
red onion
  • 0.5 cup red onion diced
Italian dressing
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook tri-color rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water until cooled. This stops the pasta from continuing to cook.
Build the salad
  1. Combine tri-color rotini pasta, salami, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, green bell pepper, and red onion in a large bowl. Mix to distribute the colorful vegetables and meats evenly.
  2. Add Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, then toss until every piece is coated. The pasta should look glossy and the cheese should cling to the noodles.
  3. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust so the dressing flavor is balanced.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, tossing occasionally. Keep it covered so the surface stays moist and the flavors meld.
  2. Before serving, check the texture and add more Italian dressing if needed, then toss again. Serve cold so the ingredients stay crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta in cold water right after draining so it doesn’t clump and the salad stays tender-but-firm. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days; freeze is not recommended because the vegetables lose their crunch. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat mozzarella and a lower-oil Italian dressing.