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Italian Pasta Salad

Italian pasta salad with colorful rotini, salami, mozzarella, olives, and peppers tossed in Italian dressing for a classic antipasto-style picnic salad. Chill it for at least 2 hours so the pasta absorbs the tangy flavor and holds together for potluck serving.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 528
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rotini pasta
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
Italian dressing
  • 16 oz Italian dressing
Salami and cheese
  • 8 oz salami, cubed
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Vegetables and olives
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
  2. Let the rinsed pasta sit briefly until it’s no longer steaming so the Italian dressing coats without getting watery.
Assemble the salad
  1. In a large bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the Italian dressing until every piece is coated.
  2. Add the salami cubes, mozzarella cubes, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives, diced green bell pepper, diced red bell pepper, and diced red onion, then toss to distribute evenly.
  3. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning over the top.
  4. Toss the salad again until well combined, with the vegetables and cheese evenly throughout.
Chill and finish
  1. Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 2 hours, tossing occasionally so the dressing flavor permeates.
  2. Before serving, taste and add more Italian dressing if needed to loosen the mixture and restore coating.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta under cold water and let it cool briefly before dressing, so the rotini stays firm in the chilled salad. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the vegetables and cheese lose texture. For a lighter option, use part-skim mozzarella and reduce the salami slightly to lower saturated fat without changing the overall method.