Description
A vibrant and flavorful Italian Pasta Salad combining rotini pasta, savory salami, fresh mozzarella, colorful vegetables, and aromatic herbs, all tossed in a zesty Italian dressing. Perfect for a quick, easy, and satisfying meal or side dish that can be enjoyed immediately or chilled to enhance the flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Proteins
- 16 oz dried rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
- 10 oz hard salami, diced
- 8 oz fresh small mozzarella balls
- 2 oz parmesan cheese, grated
Vegetables
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup black olives, sliced
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 2 cups bell pepper, diced (use a mix of colors if desired)
Herbs
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- ½ cup basil, chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup Italian dressing
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly to cool. Dice the hard salami, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the black olives, dice the red onion and bell peppers, and chop the parsley and basil. Grate the parmesan cheese if it is not pre-grated.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled rotini pasta, diced salami, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives, diced red onion, diced bell peppers, mozzarella balls, grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and chopped basil.
- Add Dressing and Mix: Pour the Italian dressing over the combined ingredients. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Gently toss everything together to ensure the salad is evenly coated with the dressing. Taste and add additional dressing if desired.
- Chill or Serve: Serve the salad immediately for a fresh, crisp bite or cover and refrigerate it until ready to serve. Chilling the salad allows the flavors to meld and develop for an even tastier dish.
Notes
- Using a variety of colorful bell peppers makes the salad more visually appealing.
- Make sure to rinse pasta under cold water to stop cooking and keep it firm.
- You can substitute Italian dressing with a homemade vinaigrette if preferred.
- This salad is best enjoyed within 2 days when refrigerated.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the hard salami or replace it with a plant-based alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
