Pasta Salad
intro
Chilled, colorful pasta salad loaded with crisp veggies, savory pepperoni, mozzarella, and tangy creamy Italian dressing, perfect for warm-weather outdoor meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Bring a large pot of 2 liters cold water to a rolling boil over high heat, add 1 tablespoon (18 grams) of kosher salt, then pour in 225 grams dry rotini pasta. Stir immediately to prevent noodles from sticking, and cook for 10 minutes until al dente (firm to the bite, no raw white core at the center). Drain pasta completely (do not rinse) and spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
While the pasta cools, prep all mix-ins: halve 150 grams cherry tomatoes, seed and dice 120 grams English cucumber and 100 grams red bell pepper into uniform 1cm cubes, finely dice 50 grams red onion, drain 60 grams sliced black olives and 85 grams mini mozzarella pearls, and quarter 70 grams sliced pepperoni. Add all prepped ingredients to a large 3-liter glass mixing bowl.
Make the creamy Italian dressing in a small 250ml bowl: whisk together 80ml mayonnaise, 30ml extra-virgin olive oil, 30ml red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds until the dressing is completely smooth with no visible lumps of mayonnaise.
Once pasta is fully cooled to room temperature (no residual warmth, which will melt mozzarella and thin the dressing), add it to the large mixing bowl with prepped mix-ins. Pour 3/4 of the prepared dressing over the top, then toss gently with a silicone spatula for 1 minute until all ingredients are evenly coated.
Taste a small bite of pasta salad, then add remaining dressing, extra salt, or pepper as needed to match your flavor preference. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour to allow flavors to meld together before serving.
Right before serving, remove pasta salad from the refrigerator, give it a quick 30-second gentle toss to redistribute dressing that settled at the bottom of the bowl, then top with 10 grams of torn fresh basil leaves for a bright, herby finish. Serve chilled.
Tips
2.If preparing the salad more than 4 hours in advance, reserve 1/4 of the dressing to toss in right before serving, as pasta will absorb dressing as it chills and may become dry.
3.For a milder, less sharp raw onion flavor, soak finely diced red onion in ice cold water for 10 minutes, then drain fully before adding to the salad.
OMG this pasta salad was SUCH a hit at our neighborhood potluck last weekend! I was worried I didn’t make enough because people went back for seconds and thirds. The creamy Italian dressing is way better than the store-bought stuff I used to grab. 10/10 will be making this all summer long!
Super easy recipe, perfect for meal prep! I made a big batch on Sunday and ate it for lunch all week. Only thing I added was a little extra black olives because I’m obsessed with them. Tasted just as good on day 4 as it did day 1!
Wait, quick question! Can I make this a day ahead for a birthday cookout? I don’t want the pasta to get all mushy or the dressing to separate weirdly. Has anyone tried that?
Game changer. I used to hate pasta salad because it was always too bland or too vinegary, but this creamy balance is exactly what I’ve been looking for. My wife asked me to put this on our regular dinner rotation, which never happens with my random recipe finds lmao.
This was so good! My kids loved it, even my super picky 7 year old who turns his nose up at anything with “salad” in the name. Only note: I’d recommend salting the pasta water really well, that makes such a big difference for flavor.
Has anyone made this with gluten-free pasta? I have a family member with celiac coming to our potluck and I want to make sure this works with GF noodles without getting all gummy.
Brought this to my buddy’s backyard BBQ over the weekend and every single person asked me for the recipe. The pepperoni and parmesan in it? *Chef’s kiss* I don’t think I’ll ever use another pasta salad recipe again, tbh.
So easy to make in my tiny dorm kitchen! No fancy equipment needed, just a pot to boil pasta and a bowl to mix everything. Way cheaper than buying pre-made pasta salad from the campus grocery store, and tastes 100x better.
Wait, I think I messed this up? My dressing came out way thicker than it looks in the photos, did I do something wrong? I followed the measurements exactly I swear, lol.
Made this for our weekly family dinner night and it was a home run! I love that I can get the veggies chopped while the pasta boils, so the whole thing comes together super fast even on busy school nights. The 1 hour chill time is the longest part, which is totally doable.
This is such a solid base recipe! I tossed in some roasted broccoli, diced bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes from my garden this time around and it was chef’s kiss. What other add-ins do people love in this?
Absolute staple for football season tailgates. It doesn’t need to be kept super cold the whole time (though it tastes best chilled) and it’s hearty enough to hold everyone over until the burgers and hot dogs are done. 10/10, will be making this every game day from now on.
Full transparency, I didn’t have time to let it chill for a full hour because we were running late to a party, and it was still incredible! Can only imagine how much better it is when the flavors have time to meld together in the fridge. Next time I’ll plan better, promise!
Is there a way to make this a little less creamy? My partner isn’t a huge mayo fan so I’m trying to tweak it to be something we both love. Would adding more vinegar and less mayo work?
SO good. I ate three servings in one sitting no shame. The combo of creamy dressing, salty parmesan, and crunchy veggies is just unbeatable. 10/10 no notes.
Wait, how long does this stay good in the fridge? I want to make a big batch but don’t want it to go bad before I can eat all of it. TIA!