Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

Pasta salad with Italian dressing doubles as side and main dish. Bring this along to a cook out, as an easy lunch or dinner. Loaded with veggies, big flavors, it’s so easy and even easier to customize!

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I have a deep seated love of pasta.

Granted, I don’t always want a hot, heavy pasta dish- especially when it’s a 105 degrees outside.

And to be frank, living in a house that was built without central air, it’s not much more comfortable in my kitchen on the hottest days.

So all kinds of cold pasta dishes are on the menu during the dog days of summer.

Like this pasta salad with Italian dressing.

It’s got all the things I love: pasta, two kinds of cheese, some crunchy veggies, tangy Italian dressing, and a little acidity from lemon.

Plus it holds up remarkably well so I can make it once and we can eat it all week.

Love that journey for me and for you too.

Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies

Here’s what you need to make this pasta salad with Italian dressing recipe:

• Tri-Color Rotini Pasta – Tri-color pasta looks nicer in pasta salad, giving it a bit of a pop of added color. But really, you can use any rotini. If you don’t have rotini go for penne or bowties.
• Italian Dressing – Use your favorite brand of dressing for this but I’d recommend avoiding the creamy kind of Italian dressing.
• Fresh Lemon Juice – For a bit of bright acidity, we use the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon.
• Cherry Tomatoes – Halve the tomatoes unless you use a larger variety, in which case cut into small bite-sized pieces.
• Sweet Peppers – You can use red, orange, or yellow sweet peppers cut into small pieces. A large red bell pepper can also work.
• Fresh Mozzarella – We use the pearls or small balls, but you can use any block of mozzarella and chop it into bite-sized pieces.
• Pepperoncini – For a bit of heat, we add in pepperoncini peppers (the same peppers found in the Olive Garden’s salad). You could also use banana or similar hot peppers.
• Parmesan Cheese – No need for fancy Parmesan here. The grated kind works well.
• Black Olives – I like using black olive slices but you could use whole, pitted black olives if you really want to know you’re biting into an olive.

You probably already have all the kitchen supplies you need to make pasta salad, but in case you are wondering, you’ll need:

• large pot
• tongs (not really essential, they just help to mix the pasta salad together)
• large serving bowl
• paring knife

How to Make Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

1. Prep your ingredients.

Cook your pasta according to the package instructions for al dente – in other words, you just want the noodles cooked enough to be soft but still have a generally firm texture.

It should take around 7 to 9 minutes to cook.

Once the noodles are done, drain and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool them off.

Please note: making pasta salad is one of the only times I will ever say to rinse the pasta off after cooking. Most of the time, you want the starchy water to help the sauce cling to the pasta.

As the pasta cooks, cut your peppers into small pieces or slices and cut your cherry tomatoes in half.

If you are using a larger block of mozzarella, cut the mozzarella into smaller pieces.

2. Avengers… assemble! (The pasta salad that is)

Pour your cooled, drained pasta into a large bowl.

Add in the peppers, olives, mozzarella, and tomatoes and toss to combine.

Pour in the Italian dressing, squeeze in the lemon juice, and toss again to combine.

Finally, add in the parmesan cheese and give it a final toss to combine.

For best results, cover and store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to give the flavors time to come together.

Serving

Pasta salad with Italian dressing works as both a side and a main dish.

You want to serve it chilled and after it has rested at least 30 minutes.

It pairs well with Italian grilled chicken as a main dish or you could even slice up the Italian grilled chicken and toss it right into the pasta salad.

You can also serve it with stuffed burgers or other cook out foods, like pineapple ribs.

And never be shy about topping it with more cheese!

Storing

You can store pasta salad for about 3 to 5 days in the fridge in a sealed container.

This is one of those recipes where it tends to taste better the longer it rests, so it is a great recipe to make the night before you need it.

If you find it is starting to dry out a bit, you can add in a small amount of Italian dressing to liven it up again.

Variations

Part of the beauty of this pasta salad with Italian dressing is how easy it is to customize it exactly as you like.

I’m a big fan of vegetarian pasta salad so I normally skip adding a protein.

BUT!

You could absolutely add sliced grilled or rotisserie chicken or chopped up Italian meats like pepperoni, salami, and even pieces of ham.

And let’s talk veggies for a second.

Not a fan of one of the veggies in this? Skip it!

And feel free to add others like:

• grilled zucchini
• diced celery
• sliced carrots
• cucumber slices

Tips and Tricks

• Make the pasta salad with Italian dressing in advance for best flavor. The longer it rests, the more the flavors will come together.
• I recommend refrigerating this for at least an hour prior to serving, but you can absolutely eat it right after you make it too.
• Use pearl or small mozzarella balls instead of chopping up a block. It just makes life easier.
• You can add or sub in different ingredients if you like. Sundried tomatoes are a good option as a sub for cherry tomatoes. You can use other Italian cheeses, like romano or sharp provalone. If you want more or less heat, adjust how many hot peppers you add.

Other Pasta Salad Recipes

Looking for other pasta salad recipes? Try these:

• Caprese Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto
• Easy Refreshing Greek Orzo Salad
• Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

Did you make this? Let me know!

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