Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

By Becky Hardin

Updated Apr 21, 2026

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This Classic Italian Pasta Salad Recipe is the cold pasta salad I like to serve all summer. I’ve taken tri-colored rotini pasta, Italian salami, pepperoncini, and mozzarella balls and mixed them with fresh tomatoes and basil, and dressed them with an Italian salad dressing.

Easy Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

Is it even summer without a delicious pasta salad? I always love serving up a big bowl at our summer parties, or taking it along to cookouts at friends’. Loaded with fresh Italian ingredients, this dish is always a hit.

It couldn’t be any simpler than boiling a pot of pasta and tossing in savory Italian meat and mozzarella cheese. I like to toss in fresh tomatoes, basil, and olives to boost the Mediterranean taste. Best of all, I can pull it all together in less than twenty minutes.

Tips for Beginners

• Use tri-colored pasta. If you can find it, it makes for a nice-looking salad. You can use plain if that’s all you have.
• Cut the ingredients uniformly. This makes sure you get a variety of flavors in every bite.
• Cook the pasta al dente. This ensures the pasta doesn’t get soggy as it sits.
• Swap the Italian dressing. You can use your favorite store-bought Italian dressing if you wish.

Recipe Card

Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

4.59 from 51 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

Author: Becky Hardin

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This Italian Pasta Salad Recipe is the cold pasta salad you need to be serving this summer. Made with tri-colored rotini pasta, this easy dish comes together in less than twenty minutes.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 12 oz. tri-colored rotini pasta (1 box)
• ▢ ½ cup hard Italian salami chopped or thinly-sliced
• ▢ 1 pint Glory tomatoes cherry-type tomatoes, quartered
• ▢ ¼ cup minced red onions
• ▢ 1 cup mini mozzarella balls 8 oz. pearls, halved
• ▢ ½ cup diced pepperoncini
• ▢ ¼ cup pitted sliced black or green olives
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• ▢ 1 cup Italian dressing*

Video

Instructions 

• Cook the pasta to al-dente, per package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking; shake off excess liquid. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Pour the cooked pasta onto the paper towels to let the pasta dry 10-15 minutes.
  12 oz. tri-colored rotini pasta
• In a large mixing bowl, add pasta, salami, tomatoes, onions, mozzarella, pepperoncini, olives, and basil; stir to combine.
  ½ cup hard Italian salami, 1 pint Glory tomatoes, ¼ cup minced red onions, 1 cup mini mozzarella balls, ½ cup diced pepperoncini, ¼ cup pitted, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• Pour ¾ cup dressing over the pasta salad and toss well (all pasta ingredients should be coated with the dressing).
  1 cup Italian dressing*
• Refrigerate in an airtight container until time to serve and add the remaining ¼ cup dressing. Toss together until well incorporated and serve. Enjoy!
  12 oz. tri-colored rotini pasta

Becky’s Tips

*Note: For an alternate vinaigrette, use Penzey’s Italian Dressing Base.
Whisk together 3 tablespoons Penzey’s Italian Dressing Base with 2 tablespoons water; let rest 5 minutes. Whisk 1 cup vegetable (or canola oil) and ½ cup white vinegar; add the Italian Dressing/water mixture and whisk.

Calories: 307kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 10gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 532mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 585IUVitamin C: 14.8mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 0.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Italian Pasta Salad Step by Step

Cook the pasta: Cook 12 oz. of pasta to al-dente, per package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Shake off excess liquid and lay the pasta on a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels to dry for 10-15 minutes.

Combine the salad ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine ½ cup hard Italian salami, 1 pint Glory tomatoes, ¼ cup minced red onions, 1 cup mini mozzarella balls, ½ cup diced pepperoncini, ¼ cup pitted, and ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves.

Add the dressing: Pour ¾ cup of dressing over the pasta salad and toss well so everything is coated with the dressing.

Refrigerate and serve: Refrigerate in an airtight container until you are ready to serve and add the remaining ¼ cup dressing. Toss until well incorporated and serve. Enjoy!

How to Store

If you are making this pasta ahead of time, you will have to add a bit more dressing before you serve it as it will dry out a bit as it sits.

This Italian Pasta Salad also keeps well, covered in the fridge for 3-4 days, so it’s a great option for make-ahead cold lunches and dinners.

Serving Suggestions

Generally, I serve this up as a side dish when we are having a cookout, along with a hearty main like grilled ribeye or grilled salmon. If I serve this salad as a main for lunch, I’ll add a green goddess salad to balance out the meal.

More Summer Salads

• This Peruvian Chopped Salad features lima beans, corn, and vibrant fresh veggies that come together with a tangy dressing.
• This refreshing Cucumber Onion Salad has fresh cucumber and red onion slices that I’ve dressed in a simple homemade vinegar-based salad dressing.
• Loaded with all kinds of good stuff, this Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing  has lettuce, almonds, feta cheese, homemade croutons, and fresh strawberries.

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