There are certain classic recipes that are tried and true for a reason. This is definitely one of them! It’s an American staple pasta salad filled with simple and easy-to-find ingredients, and putting everything together is almost effortless.

If you like this salad, then you will love our Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta.

Why Our Recipe

  • A quick and easy homemade Italian dressing that has the perfect flavor.
  • All the little goodies like mini pepperoni, mozzarella, olives, pepperoncini, and more!
  • Use with rotini pasta for the classic spirals, or mix it up with other pasta shapes.
Italian pasta salad.

The homemade Italian dressing really takes this dish up a notch. Paired with noodles, tomatoes, pepperoncini to add a bit of heat, and a bit of pepperoni. Serve it as an appetizer or as a side. Despite the name of this dish, it’s not really Italian at all. Though it gets its name from the addition of Italian dressing, it is very much an American dish. It’s great to bring along to a picnic, potluck, or barbecue. Who will you share yours with?

Ingredient Notes

  • Rotini Pasta: We love using this shape of noodle, but you can feel free to use bowties, shells, radiatore, or macaroni.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes also work and you can use red or yellow.
  • Fresh Mini Mozzarella Balls: These are our favorite in this dish, but you can use whatever type of cheese you prefer. Some other great options are diced block mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and cheddar.
  • Sliced Olives: The sliced black olives in a can are a great option, or you could go green.
  • Mini Pepperonis: Easily swap for regular, sliced pepperonis or salami.
  • Pepperoncinis: You could also substitute with banana peppers.
  • Red Onion: Diced into small pieces for the perfect bite. You can use sliced green onions if red is still too strong.
  • Italian Dressing: We always recommend making homemade dressing, but we also know that you may not always have time. In that case, opt for your favorite bottled Italian dressing.

To Rinse or Not to Rinse

Rinsing pasta for warm pasta dishes is usually a big no-no – don’t get us started on wasting that precious pasta water! That said, for this dish you should rinse your rotini. Rinsing your noodles in cold water will stop them from cooking any further. It will also get rid of a lot of the starch that causes them to stick together. Finally, you need to use cold pasta for this recipe, and running the rotini under cool water will speed up the cooling process.

Overhead view of Italian pasta salad.

Make-Ahead

If you’re a fan of meal prepping, or simply want to get ahead of schedule before a big picnic or barbecue, you can make your classic pasta salad ahead of time. Cook the pasta and let it cool completely before placing it in the fridge. As a note, cooked pasta will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also prepare the dressing in advance and also store it in the fridge. We recommend chopping the rest of the ingredients just before you plan on serving for the best results.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

We highly recommend that you don’t try to freeze this Italian pasta salad. Freezing can give the pasta a funky texture when you defrost it, and the other ingredients generally don’t defrost well either.

More delicious pasta salads…