This post may contain affiliate links. Italian Pasta Salad is an easy to make summertime staple! Tender pasta, bell peppers, tomatoes, pasta salad, cheese and salami all tossed in an Italian dressing! Italian pasta salad is one of my favorite cold pasta salad dishes!
Fresh and colorful vegetables, cheese, salami, and Italian vinaigrette are tossed with your favorite pasta to create an unforgettable dish for just about any summer occasion. Pasta salads are one of my go-to potluck dishes from easy and fresh Greek Pasta Salad to a delicious Caesar Pasta Salad and of course my famous Dill Pickle Pasta Salad! This easy potluck dish is filled with peppers, tomatoes, olives, cheese and salami! Potluck Perfect Pasta Salad Whenever summer rolls around, we always seem to be headed to barbecues, potlucks, and patio parties.
I almost always bring a cold pasta salad recipe along too! This Italian Pasta Salad recipe is a really fun twist on a classic pasta salad because it’s loaded with so many goodies. Noodles for Pasta Salad Tri-color rotini does an amazing job at holding the cheese and Italian dressing in the crevices for max flavor, but you can use shells, or whatever medium noodles you happen to have handy! Cook the pasta al dente so it isn’t mushy and it holds up well to the dressing. Don’t overcook your noodles: Overcooking will make a mushy pasta salad as the acids from the dressing will break down the starches farther.
Shock your noodles once they are cooked al dente in cold water for best results! Cool your pasta before adding the toppings: You don’t want to begin to cook your vegetables while you toss everything together! Let your pasta salad sit before you serve it: This gives the dressing a chance to really permeate your veggies and pasta, resulting in a more flavorful and delicious Italian pasta salad! Keep it colorful: If you are adding some extra veggies you have on hand, keep your pasta salad fun and colorful! I love adding things like artichokes, shredded carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, etc. Fresh vegetables, tender pasta, salami, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses make this Italian Pasta Salad the perfect summer salad!
Italian Pasta Salad Dressing To make this recipe quick and easy, I use a bottled Italian dressing but of course, homemade Italian Dressing is amazing if you have the ingredients on hand. The best thing about this pasta salad recipe is that it gets better as it sits and the flavors blend! It’s the perfect make ahead side dish, it takes 20 only about minutes to prepare. What could be better than that?
Tender pasta, juicy tomatoes, crisp bell peppers, salami, and mozzarella cheese are tossed in an Italian dressing for the perfect make-ahead side dish. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Give leftovers a good stir and add more dressing if necessary to refresh flavors. Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Please view my photo use policy here. Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!