This pasta salad with Italian dressing is the perfect make-ahead side dish for any meal or gathering you may have! Bring it to BBQs, potlucks, or picnics for a tasty side everyone will rave about! It is easy to customize with your favorite mix-ins so that you know your entire family will love it!
¼cupred bell pepper(optional, diced, or green bell pepper)
¼cupParmesan cheese(grated for garnish, or Romano, or Asiago)
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Instructions
Cook the 4 cups rotini pasta as directed on the packaging. Then, drain it and rinse with cold water.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta, ½ cup black olives, ½ cup Colby Jack cheese, ½ cup mini pepperoni, and the optional ¼ cup salami and ¼ cup red bell pepper if using. Drizzle half of the ¾ cup Italian dressing over the top and toss until everything is well-coated.
Cover the bowl and place the pasta salad into the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours so that the flavors can meld together.
When ready to serve, add any remaining Italian dressing, toss to combine, and then portion into separate bowls.
Top with freshly grated ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, Romano, or Asiago cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
You can easily customize this pasta salad with your favorite mix-ins! Try cubed ham, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini, or anything else you might like!
I strongly recommend trying out my homemade Italian dressing (it is ridiculously delicious), but store-bought dressing will work, too!
You can easily prepare this pasta salad the evening before you need it. This gives the flavors plenty of time to meld together in the fridge! Just make sure to give it a good stir after adding the additional dressing, as some of the dressing may have gathered on the bottom of the bowl.
To store: Keep your pasta salad stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
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