Description
A colorful and hearty Italian Pasta Salad made with rotini, pepperoni, salami, cherry tomatoes, black olives, bell peppers, red onion, pepperoncini, and fresh mozzarella, all tossed with homemade Italian dressing and finished with Parmesan and parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 recipe homemade Italian Dressing
- 1 lb. rotini pasta
- 3.5–4 oz. pepperoni, quartered (about ¾ cup)
- 4 oz. sliced salami, quartered (about ¾ cup)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup black olives, drained and halved
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls
- Parmesan and parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the homemade Italian Dressing according to its recipe.
- Cook the rotini according to the package directions. Drain thoroughly.
- While the pasta cooks, quarter the pepperoni and salami. Halve the cherry tomatoes and black olives, chop both bell peppers, finely dice the red onion, and chop the pepperoncini.
- Add the drained rotini to a large mixing bowl. Add the pepperoni, salami, cherry tomatoes, black olives, orange bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, pepperoncini, and fresh mozzarella pearls.
- Pour the prepared Italian dressing over the ingredients and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Garnish with Parmesan and parsley. Chill before serving if desired so the flavors can come together.
Notes
- Drain the cooked rotini thoroughly so excess water does not dilute the Italian dressing.
- Toss the salad gently after adding the mozzarella pearls to help keep them intact.
- Refrigerate the assembled salad before serving when possible for better flavor development.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 servings
- Calories: 550 calories
Keywords: Italian pasta salad, easy Italian pasta salad, Italian pasta salad recipe, rotini pasta salad, pasta salad with pepperoni and salami, Italian dressing pasta salad, mozzarella pasta salad