Easy Rotini Pasta Salad

This Rotini Pasta Salad is an easy, flavorful side dish made with tender rotini pasta, Italian dressing, fresh vegetables, cheese, and savory pepperoni. Packed with classic Italian-inspired flavors, this easy pasta salad is perfect for summer BBQs, picnics, potlucks, and family dinners. It’s quick to prepare with simple ingredients and makes a delicious make-ahead side dish for sharing!

this Recipe

Italian Pasta Salad

This easy pasta salad is one I fall in love with over and over again each time I make it. It is so simple, you just forget how delicious it really is! We make this salad with rotini pasta along with lots of veggies, cheeses, and pepperonis, then smother it in our very favorite Italian dressing to give it so much flavor it is almost unbelievable.

One of the best parts about this salad is that you can add and subtract ingredients without worry to suit your tastes, or what you have available in your fridge.  Almost all veggies, and cheeses, and meats would taste good in this salad so feel free to mix it up and try new combos, or just stick with the classic version!

Why I LOVE this recipe!

• Easy to make – Just cook the pasta, chop a few ingredients, and toss everything together with Italian dressing.
• Packed with flavor – Savory pepperoni, cheese, fresh veggies, and zesty Italian dressing make every bite delicious.
• Perfect for gatherings – This rotini pasta salad is a great side dish for BBQs, picnics, potlucks, and family get-togethers.
• Make-ahead friendly – Prep it ahead of time and chill until you’re ready to serve. The flavors have time to come together, making it a great option for busy days and entertaining.

Recipe Notes

This Rotini Pasta Salad recipe is as simple as promised! Just a a few simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep for a flavorful side dish.

In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make this easy french onion baked chicken to get the absolute best and most delicious results.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Rotini pasta – One 16 oz box. Cook according to the package directions, then rinse under cold water.
• Cheddar and mozzarella cheese – Cube both cheeses for a mix of sharp, savory flavor and creamy mozzarella in every bite.
• Bell peppers – One green and one red bell pepper, diced for crunch and color.
• Cherry tomatoes – Halve the tomatoes so they’re easy to eat in the salad.
• Red onion – Finely dice for a little bite and extra flavor.
• Pepperoni – Quarter the slices so you get some in every forkful.
• Italian dressing – Use your favorite bottled dressing or homemade Italian dressing. See the recipe notes for details.
• Fresh basil – Chop and toss in for a fresh, herby finish.

Recipe Step by Step

I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Rotini Pasta Salad.

Tips for Making Rotini Pasta Salad

As promised, this pasta salad comes together quickly, and is exceptionally easy to make! I am going to walk through a few tips on making this salad, substitutions, and the ingredients I prefer here. Make sure to hop down to the bottom of this post for the full recipe card.

1. Cook the rotini pasta per package directions. Drain pasta and run under cold water, then place pasta in a large bowl.
   • I prefer using rotini pasta for this pasta salad because the shape of the rotini gives it so many nooks and crannies to really soak up the dressing and helps it to become very flavorful. If you don’t have rotini on hand, you can substitute any pasta variety and it will work, but my preference is always rotini!
   • After cooking the pasta, make sure to run it under cold water and toss it a bit.  This will cool the pasta and prevent it from continuing to cook and becoming gummy.
   • Once you cool the pasta, make sure to shake as much of the water off as you can, then transfer it to a large bowl that will give you enough room for all of the toppings and to toss everything together.
2. While the pasta is cooking prep the remaining ingredients. When it is done, mix in the cheese, peppers, tomatoes, onion, pepperoni, and basil.
   • Usually I chop all of the cheeses, meat, and veggies while the rotini cooks and it gives me just about the perfect amount of time.
   • Make sure to chop the onion very small so that it can compliment the flavor without becoming overpowering.
   • You can add additional cheeses, meat, and veggies, or omit any that you may not care for. Other veggies that go well in pasta salad are: broccoli florets, cauliflower, sweet peas, zucchini, and yellow squash.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
   • I highly recommend you try the homemade Italian Dressing to make this pasta salad. This Italian Dressing is a key flavor in the pasta salad, so it is important to use one that has a really great taste. This dressing is super quick and easy to make, and so worth the extra few minutes.
   • If are in a pinch, you can use bottled, but try to get a high quality, flavorful dressing so that you will still have great Italian flavors shining through.
4. Serve immediately or chill, then toss before serving. Enjoy!
   • You can serve this immediately, or prepare ahead of time then chill until time to serve.
   • If you are making it more than 4-6 hours ahead, I would recommend following the prep ahead directions below.

More Easy Side Dish Recipes

If you enjoyed this Italian style Rotini Pasta Salad, I hope you will try some of our other delicious side dishes!

• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad– Loaded with flavor!
• Restaurant Style Hashbrown Casserole– Best potluck side dish!
• Strawberry Spinach Salad – Perfect and healthy!
• Oven Roasted Asparagus– So good and SO EASY!
• Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad – Tastes so fresh!

Easy Rotini Pasta Salad – FAQ’s