Easy Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni is beautiful in color and flavor. It makes a great picnic food and pot luck dish.
When I think of Italian pasta salad my mind goes straight to picnics with my family. Last year one of our favorite activities when the weather cooperated was to go to our neighborhood park and have a picnic. It is so much fun to pack up some food, grab our big blanket, and go eat outside. This past week has been beautiful and the kids started asking if we could go have a picnic, or as my youngest calls it a “nicnic”. Our spring break happens to be this week, so I promised them we would go. Italian pasta salad will definitely be making it’s way into our picnic basket!
To make the pasta salad, I like to cook my rotini noodles first. After straining the pasta, run under cold water to cool it off. Add the pasta to a large bowl and then dump in all of the fixins. For this Italian pasta salad we like to use green bell pepper, pepperoni, green onion, salami, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls and black olives. Mix in some Italian salad dressing and you are ready for the park.
Time to enjoy the outdoors and eat some pasta salad. Woohoo, I love spring break!
Easy Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz box tri color rotini pasta uncooked
- 1 cup mozzarella balls
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup green onion diced
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni
- 1/2 cup salami diced
- 1 cup Italian salad dressing
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook the recommended time on the box.
- Strain pasta in a colander under cold water until cooled.
- In a large bowl combine mozzarella balls, tomatoes, bell pepper, black olives, green onion, pepperoni, and salami. Add the pasta and stir until combined.
- Pour in salad dressing and stir again to coat.
- Cover bowl and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Martie says
May 11, 2016 at 1:31 pmYum…looks like antipasto in a salad! I’m pinning this one! Thanks for sharing on Wonderful Wednesday! 🙂
heather says
May 12, 2016 at 10:59 pmThank you!
Marilyn Lesniak says
May 12, 2016 at 1:00 amI have a tricolor pasta salad I make but it is Greek. This Italian one will be a welcomed change. I am definitely bookmarking to make soon. Thank you for sarng at #WonderfulWednesday. Pinned nd shared!
heather says
May 12, 2016 at 10:57 pmThank you Marilyn. I want to try your Greek version. That sounds delicious.
Duane and kim says
May 27, 2016 at 9:36 pmDefinitely making this over holiday. Has all yummy ingredients. Thanks.
heather says
May 28, 2016 at 12:50 amHope you enjoy the pasta salad and your holiday weekend!