Summer barbecues, family reunions, and neighborhood potlucks all share one universal truth: you need a reliable, delicious side dish that can effortlessly feed a hungry crowd. This Classic Pasta Salad is the exact recipe you have been searching for!
With vibrant tri-color rotini, savory pepperoni, chunks of creamy mozzarella, and crisp fresh vegetables, this salad is an absolute showstopper. Instead of relying on a bottle of store bought dressing, we take it up a notch with a vibrant, zesty homemade Italian vinaigrette that comes together in seconds. It provides an authentic, punchy flavor that perfectly coats every single noodle.
If you love fresh, vibrant sides like this refreshing Creamy Green Pea Salad with Bacon and Cheese or a sweet, tropical Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad this classic pasta salad is going to become a permanent fixture in your warm weather recipe box.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
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Feeds a Massive Crowd: This recipe uses a full 24 ounces of pasta, making it the perfect choice for feeding 20+ people without breaking a sweat.
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Make Ahead Perfection: Pasta salad actually tastes better when it has time to sit. You can prep it the day before your event, allowing the pasta to soak up all that tangy vinaigrette overnight.
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Endlessly Customizable: Don’t like black olives? Swap them for crisp cucumbers! Prefer hard salami over pepperoni? Go for it! It is a completely adaptable blank canvas.
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Quick Homemade Dressing: Ditching the bottled dressing makes a world of difference. Our simple 3:1 oil to vinegar dressing provides a deeply savory, aromatic flavor profile that elevates the entire dish.
The Essential Ingredients
Because this recipe serves a crowd, make sure you have your largest mixing bowl ready!
For the Salad Base:
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Tri-Color Rotini (24 oz): The tight spirals are perfect for holding onto the dressing, and the three colors make the salad visually stunning. Make sure your boiling pot is large enough to handle this much pasta!
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Pepperoni (12 oz): Sliced pepperoni adds a fantastic salty, savory, and slightly spicy bite.
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Mozzarella Cheese (16 oz): Buy a block of mozzarella and cube it, or use fresh mozzarella pearls.
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Parmesan Cheese (1 cup): Freshly grated parmesan adds a sharp, nutty saltiness to the mix.
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Cherry Tomatoes (1 pint): Halved to provide juicy bursts of sweetness in every bite.
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Green Bell Pepper (1) & Red Onion (1): Diced for a necessary crisp, fresh crunch.
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Black Olives (8 oz): Sliced olives provide an earthy, briny depth.
For the Zesty Homemade Vinaigrette:
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Olive Oil (1 ½ cups): Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best, most robust flavor.
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Red Wine Vinegar (½ cup): Provides the perfect bright acidity to balance the rich meats and cheeses.
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Seasonings: 2 tbsp Italian seasoning, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and ½ tsp red pepper flakes (for just a hint of background heat).
Planning a casual get together? Serve this massive pasta salad alongside a platter of these crispy, viral Smashburger Quesadillas or a hearty, satisfying BBQ Ranch Chicken Casserole!
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Boil the Pasta Bring a very large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add your tri-color rotini and cook according to the package directions for al dente. Do not overcook the pasta, or it will become mushy when tossed with the dressing! Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it thoroughly under cold water until it is completely cooled to room temperature. Transfer to a massive serving bowl.
2. Prep the Mix Ins While your pasta is boiling, take the time to prep your vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the green bell pepper and red onion, slice the olives, and cube the mozzarella cheese. Add all of these ingredients, along with the sliced pepperoni and grated parmesan, directly to the bowl with the cooled pasta.
3. Whisk the Vinaigrette In a medium mixing bowl (or a large mason jar with a tight fitting lid), combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk vigorously (or shake the jar) until the dressing is completely emulsified.
4. Toss and Chill Pour the homemade vinaigrette over the top of the pasta and mix ins. Use large salad tongs or wooden spoons to toss everything together until every single noodle and vegetable is coated in the dressing. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Need an easy breakfast to serve out of town guests before the big afternoon BBQ? Whip up these quick, bakery style Easy Sweet Cinnamon Twists or these savory, grab and go Hashbrown Sausage Bites!
Classic Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 24 oz tri-color rotini pasta, uncooked
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 12 oz sliced pepperoni
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 16 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 8 oz black olives, sliced
- 1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil for vinaigrette
- ½ cup red wine vinegar for vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning for vinaigrette
- 2 tsp garlic powder for vinaigrette
- 1 ½ tsp salt for vinaigrette
- 1 tsp black pepper for vinaigrette
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes for vinaigrette
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water until cooled to room temperature. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, sliced pepperoni, diced red onion, diced bell pepper, cubed mozzarella, grated parmesan, and sliced black olives to the bowl with the pasta.
- In a separate bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk or shake until fully emulsified.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta mixture and toss well until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop.
- Before serving, let the pasta salad sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes if chilled overnight. Toss again and serve.
Notes
Pro Tips for the Best Pasta Salad
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Rinse Your Pasta: Unlike hot pasta dishes where you want the starch to help bind a hot sauce, pasta salad requires you to rinse the noodles in cold water. This stops the cooking process immediately and washes away excess starch so the noodles don’t clump together in the fridge.
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Dress at Room Temperature: Toss the pasta with the vinaigrette while the noodles are at room temperature (not ice cold). They will absorb the flavors of the dressing much better!
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The “Solid Oil” Fix: If you refrigerate the pasta salad overnight, the olive oil in the dressing may solidify slightly due to the cold temperatures. Don’t panic! Just take the bowl out of the fridge about 20 to 30 minutes before serving, give it a good toss, and the oil will liquefy right back to normal.
Make Ahead and Storage Guidelines
This recipe is the ultimate make ahead dish. Preparing it 12 to 24 hours in advance yields the absolute best flavor, as it gives the pasta ample time to marinate in the Italian vinaigrette.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If the salad seems a bit dry on day 3 or 4, simply splash a little extra olive oil and red wine vinegar over the top and give it a fresh toss to revive it!