Cold Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
A simple, make-ahead cold pasta salad using zesty Italian dressing, pepperoni, salami, cheese, and fresh vegetables.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound rotini or medium shell pasta
- 1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup cubed salami
- 1 cup cubed pepperoni
- 1 cup black olives, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 (16 ounce) bottle zesty Italian dressing
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, mozzarella cheese, salami, pepperoni, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and red onion.
- Pour the entire bottle of Italian dressing over the pasta and mix gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. This allows the flavors to meld.
- Stir the salad again before serving to redistribute the dressing.
Notes
- You can substitute the cured meats with cooked, cubed chicken breast for a lighter version.
- For best results, prepare this salad the day before serving.
- If the salad seems dry after chilling, add a splash more Italian dressing before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 18
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 55