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The Best Easy Italian Pasta Salad with Zesty Homemade Dressing

A close-up view of a bowl filled with vibrant italian pasta salad featuring fusilli, pepperoni, cherry tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella cubes.
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Make this crowd-pleasing Italian pasta salad quickly. It features classic Italian ingredients and a flavorful homemade dressing, making it perfect for potlucks, BBQs, or family dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound rotini pasta
  • 1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup sliced pepperoni or salami
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (the secret ingredient)

Instructions

  1. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse immediately with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
  2. While the pasta cools, prepare the zesty Italian dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, mozzarella cubes, pepperoni or salami, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and green bell pepper.
  4. Pour the homemade Italian dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss everything gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
  5. Stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese.
  6. Cover the bowl and chill the Italian pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together.
  7. Give the salad a final toss before serving as a perfect potluck side dish or summer pasta salad.

Notes

  • For a high-protein Italian pasta salad, add 1 cup of cooked, cubed chicken breast or chickpeas to the mix.
  • You can prepare the dressing up to three days ahead and store it in the refrigerator. Shake well before using.
  • This cold pasta salad is excellent for meal prep and tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/italian-pasta-salad-recipe/