Ingredient notes and substitutions

You will need the following ingredients to make this classic Italian pasta salad recipe:

For the pasta salad you will need:

rotini pasta-You can switch out for pasta shapes such as macaroni, bowtie, penne, shells, or ziti. To add additional color, you can use the tri-color rotini.

salami- I prefer hard salami. You can substitute with Genoa salami.

pepperoni

mozzarella- I prefer the block mozzarella cheese diced into bite sized bites. The fresh mozzarella pearls can become soggy after adding the dressing. You can substitute with Swiss, cheddar, or provolone cheese.

cherry tomatoes- You can substitute with any type of tomato.

black olives-Choose your favorite-the canned pitted black ripe olives or Kalamata olives.

green bell pepper- You can substitute with sweet red bell pepper.

red onion- You can substitute with white or green onions.

grated parmesan cheese

Italian Viniagerette

You will need the following to make homemade Italian Viniagerette.

olive oil- Use olive oil or refined olive oil. Do not use extra virgin olive oil. It will overpower the flavor of the dressing. It will also make your dressing clumpy after refrigeration because extra virgin olive oil solidifies once refrigerated. You can substitute with vegetable or grapeseed oil.

red wine vinegar- I think red wine vinegar works best with this pasta salad, but you can substitute with white wine vinegar.

Italian seasoning

garlic powder

salt and pepper

sugar

Cold Pasta Add Ins

The following ingredients would make tasty additions to cold Italian pasta salad: Cucumbers, squash, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini peppers, ham, green olives, sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, zucchini, and red pepper flakes make great additions to this pasta salad. Fresh herbs such as parsley, oregano, or basil would be great flavor enhancers to the homemade Italian vinaigrette.

Steps

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Add to a large mixing bowl.

Add sliced salami, sliced pepperoni, cubed mozarella, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives, diced bell pepper, diced red onion, and grated parmesan.

In a small mixing bowl, mix olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small mixing bowl.

Pour homemade Italian dressing over pasta salad, and mix until evenly combined. Salt and pepper additionally to taste. Cover and store in refrigerate 30 minutes or more before serving.

For best results, mix pasta again one more time when ready to serve to ensure the dressing does not settle to the bottom of the bowl.

Watch how to make

Tips for making the perfect cold pasta salad

Don't overcook your noodles. Rinse your pasta in cold water and drain really well. Rinsing prevents the pasta from sticking together.

Make your vegetables, meats, and cheese small bite sized pieces. This allows your fork to grab multiple toppings with each single bite.

Wait 30 minutes or more before serving this classic pasta salad. This allows the flavors of the dressing and seasonings to set into the pasta and vegetables.

📖 Recipe