Italian Pasta Salad
This Italian Pasta Salad is a bursting with Italian flavors and fresh veggies. Served as a family-friendly side dish, or as a meal on it’s own, it’s sure to be one of your go-to recipes all summer long.
Why I love this Italian Pasta Salad
Pasta salads are one of my favorite dishes to make during the warm months. They are filling, and refreshing, and you can basically toss any old thing in them that you have in your fridge.
Sometimes, I like a creamy, mayo-based dressing, and other times I like a lighter, oil based dressing. This Italian Pasta salad uses a zesty, Italian dressing bursting with flavor, and I can’t get enough of it.
My trick is to use just a little bit of Italian dressing in this salad for moisture, and then sprinkle an Italian dressing seasoning packet into it as well. This gives you the flavor punch of the dressing without making the pasta salad overly oily and greasy.
I like options, so in my pasta salads I like to include a mix vegetables and protein. This way, its a balanced meal on its own, or it can be served as a side dish.
Ingredients
- small shaped pasta (rotini or gemelli work well)
- cherry tomatoes, halved
- green bell pepper, diced
- black olives, sliced
- pearl mozzarella balls
- pepperoni slices, cut in strips
- 1 packet Italian dressing seasoning mix (I use this one)
- 1/4 cup Italian dressing
- Salt
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 3 cups of pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 cup green bell pepper, 1/2 cup black olives, 8oz pearl mozzarella balls, and 2oz of pepperoni.
Pour 1/4 cup of Italian dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
Open the Italian seasoning packet and sprinkle half of the contents over the salad. Stir and taste. If you prefer to add a little salt, go ahead. I add 1/4t of course salt. Mix until well combined. Tip: Store remaining seasoning packet in case you have leftovers that need to be revived a bit by sprinkling extra seasoning after a day or two.
Serve immediately, or for best results, cover the salad and refrigerate for 30 mins to chill and let flavor melt together a bit.
Store leftovers in in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Pasta Salad as a Meal Prep
When I know I have a busy week ahead, I like to spend some time on the weekend prepping my lunches for the week. It helps ease a little of the daily mental load by eliminating the decision of what to feed myself.
Pasta salad makes an excellent meal prep. I divide individual portions into my favorite glass storage containers and stack them in my fridge. Then I just grab one each day for lunch.
Sometimes I’ll bulk up the protein by adding in a sliced grilled chicken breast as well. The extra protein helps me stay full throughout the afternoon.
Common Pasta Salad Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Overcooking Pasta: Cook pasta until just al dente. If you cook the pasta off of the way, it will get mushy as it sits.
- Under Seasoning: Ensure the dressing and seasonings are flavorful and adequately coat all of the ingredients.
- Skipping the Chill Time: Allowing the salad to rest and cool enhances flavor as it gives the dressing time to settle into the other ingredients, and the flavors to meld together
What to Serve with Italian Pasta Salad
This pasta salad pairs well with grilled meats like chicken or steak. It is also great along side burgers and sandwiches like these..
French Dip Sandwich with Au Jus
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Italian Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 colander
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 3 cups of pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 cup green bell pepper, 1/2 cup black olives, 8oz pearl mozzarella balls, and 2oz of pepperoni.
- Pour 1/4 cup of Italian dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
- Open the Italian seasoning packet and sprinkle half of the contents over the salad. Stir and taste. If you prefer to add a little salt, go ahead. I add 1/4t of course salt. Mix until well combined. Tip: Store remaining seasoning packet in case you have leftovers that need to be revived a bit by sprinkling extra seasoning after a day or two.
- Serve immediately, or for best results, cover the salad and refrigerate for 30 mins to chill and let flavor melt together a bit.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
