Description
This Zesty Italian Pasta Salad is a crowd-pleaser thanks to its tangy homemade Italian dressing and flavorful ingredients like pepperoni, salami, and mozzarella pearls. Perfect for gatherings or a weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Italian Dressing:
- 1 recipe homemade Italian Dressing
Main Salad:
- 1 lb. rotini pasta
- 3.5–4 oz. pepperoni, quartered
- 4 oz. sliced salami, quartered
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup black olives, drained and halved
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls
- Parmesan and parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Italian Dressing: Follow the directions for the homemade Italian Dressing recipe. Refrigerate until ready to use and shake before using.
- Cook the pasta: Cook rotini pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
- Toss with Dressing: Pour half of the Dressing over warm pasta and toss to combine. Add remaining salad ingredients and toss.
- Chill: Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving or up to 24 hours. Chill the remaining Dressing separately.
- Serve: Before serving, toss the salad with the rest of the Dressing. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.
Notes
- Storage: Cover leftover salad with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Add more dressing as needed to freshen it up.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
