Easy Classic Italian Pasta Salad

Looking for a side dish that’s easy, fresh, and totally reliable? This classic Italian Pasta Salad is a go-to for summer cookouts, parties, or quick lunches during the week. It’s packed with crisp veggies, pasta, and a flavorful Italian dressing that ties it all together.

 

Why We Love Italian Pasta Salad

I begged and pleaded with my Aunt for years! She would always bring the BEST Italian Pasta Salad to summer BBQs and potluck parties and it was my favorite thing. I finally got her easy pasta salad recipe and she let me share this great recipe!

You end up with tasty leftovers perfect for lunch or just to add to the dinner table again a second night! (My Greek Orzo Salad has different flavors but is similarly delicious on warm days!)

In the summer I love cold salads like this because they are great make-ahead recipes. I’ll meal prep them at the beginning of the week, and then we have a side ready. It frees me up to spend more time outside, with my family, or just to chill when we BBQ. Try the bean and chickpea salad (I make this one on repeat!), the easy pesto pasta salad (my daughter’s favorite) or the chicken macaroni pasta salad that eats like a meal on it’s own!

Ingredients For Italian Pasta Salad

The trick to making this Italian pasta salad delicious is having ingredients that are packed full of flavor, have lots of colors and a few that have a little crunch. Here’s what I include for ingredients in this pasta salad.

• Rotini Pasta– Any type of pasta that is a short pasta will work, but rotini pasta is my favorite for this salad because the dressing gets caught in the spirals of the pasta. The tri-color pasta can also be pretty!
• Broccoli– Cut this into small pieces, broccoli adds crunch!
• Bell Pepper– I tend to use red, yellow or orange bell peppers as they are sweeter than green peppers. This adds crunch too!
• English Cucumber– English cucumbers are my favorite for their mild skins, but any fresh cucumbers work. If your cucumber skins are super dark (like sometimes happens with hothouse cucumbers) consider peeling if the peel is especially bitter.
• Red or Sweet Onion– Crunch and flavor, if your family isn’t a huge fan on onion, you can reduce this a little.
• Cherry Tomatoes- grape tomatoes also work, other varieties of tomatoes diced can work too.
• Black olives– These add a little saltiness to the mix. I usually buy canned from the grocery store, but you can also buy olives from the deli often.
• Mozzarella cheese– Add cheese and more Italian flavor!
• Pepperoni pieces or salami– slice these small, they add great flavor and it doesn’t take tons. You can also use turkey pepperoni if you prefer.
• Fresh parsley- Fresh parsley just gives it a summery taste, but you can use dried if you need to. You can also use other fresh herbs like oregano or basil to give the salad an even more fresh flavor.
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients For A Homemade Italian Dressing

You can also use bottled Italian dressing for this recipe, but this quick and easy homemade dressing is delicious!

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups oil – I prefer olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

How Long Do I Need To Chill This Easy Italian Pasta Salad?

I prefer to chill this pasta salad overnight, as the flavors get even better the next day. This recipe can be made and served right away though, but it shines even more if you make it ahead and the flavors have time to meld together.

Can I Just Use Basic Italian Seasonings In This Pasta Salad?

You can swap 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of a general Italian seasoning blend for the garlic, oregano, and parsley in this recipe and it will be delicious.

Depending on if your Italian seasoning has salt, I’d make sure to taste it before you add additional salt. When you’re making the dressing you do want it to be slightly salty than normal because the salt will be spread over and a pound of pasta plus all of the raw vegetables.

Do I Have To Make The Italian Salad Dressing Homemade?

You can use your favorite bottle of Italian dressing in place of the homemade dressing if you prefer.

A homemade dressing usually has a little more flavor to it, but if you are pinched for time a bottle of dressing totally works too. Other vinegarette-based dressings can also work too.

How Do I Keep The Onion From Tasting So Sharp?

While I usually make this pasta salad with red onion for a crowd, at home I made it with sweet onion. Sweet onion has a little less bite to it than red onion does. This also helps my kid, who can be a picky eater, a lot.

Soaking your red onion in ice water for about ten minutes (then dry it well!) can help to take the bite out of the red onion. Also chilling the salad overnight and allowing the flavors to meld together also helps the red onion to have less sharpness to it.

Easy Italian Pasta Salad Variations

This recipe is super easily adapted, here are a few ideas I’ve done to make swaps to this Italian Pasta Salad Recipe! If there is an ingredient your family really doesn’t like in the salad, you can also easily leave it out.

Cheese Swap Ideas

• Fresh mozzarella cheese balls – marinated or plain
• Cubed mozzarella chunks
• Shredded provolone
• Parmesan cheese- I like to finish the salad with this, I put it on just before serving
• Feta cheese

Meat Swaps Ideas

• Mini pepperoni
• Sliced salami
• Spicy salami – Feeling dangerous!

Vegetable Swap Ideas

• Diced sundried tomatoes
• Kalamata olives
• Fresh or marinated mushrooms
• Other colors of bell pepper
• Zucchini or other summer squash that has been diced

Pasta Swap Ideas

You can use all the different shapes and colors of pasta in this salad, but a chunkier pasta that will hold up to the dressing works best. Pasta like spaghetti and angel hair that are long skinny strands don’t tend to hold their own as well with the dressing.

Here are some of my favorite pasta shapes for pasta salad.

• Rotini- love the tri-colored versions!
• Penne
• Bowties
• Mini shells
• Elbow
• Cheese Tortellini- I prefer tricolor when I can get it!

Can I Use Gluten Free Or An Alternative Pasta?

You can use an alternative pasta like gluten free pasta, lentil pasta or chickpea pasta. I recommend eating the salad within the same day with alternative pastas, as they sometimes fall apart a little easier when left to sit in the fridge longer.

How Long Does Italian Pasta Salad Last?

Expect this pasta salad will last about 3-4 days if refrigerated and stored in an airtight container.

It tastes best if it is served chilled not room temperature. Allow at least a few hours for the flavors to meld together by refrigerating. This recipe can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge overnight to chill.