Filled with tender pasta and crisp colorful veggies, this flavorful and easy pasta salad with Italian dressing is a zesty must-have for any potluck!
Summertime and pasta salad recipes are essential for any gathering. We also love macaroni salad, pasta salad with spinach and Caprese pasta salad!
Table of Contents
Best Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
When it comes to BBQ potluck side dishes, cold pasta salad is a must! It’s always a hit with the crowd and is so simple to throw together. Plus the leftovers taste delicious for lunch the next day.
I got this easy pasta salad with Italian dressing from my mother-in-law and changed a few things up to make it my own. Instead of a creamy dressing like in my bacon ranch pasta salad it’s simply made with spiral noodles, vibrant veggies, and a tangy Italian dressing.
Italian Pasta Salad Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Rotini pasta: This is my favorite pasta to use, as the dressing adheres it to so nicely and the tri-color is pretty.
- Bell peppers: Red and green add a nice bit of spice to the easy pasta salad recipe.
- Red onion: Italian dressing and red onions are a match made in heaven.
- Cherry tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes add a burst of sweetness to the salad.
- Black olives: These are a great way to punch up the flavor.
- Mozzarella: The small fresh mozzarella balls are a perfect size for pasta.
- Italian dressing: I love to use my homemade recipe, but store-bought works as well.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley or basil are my picks for the best pasta salad recipe.
How to Make Easy Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
- Cook. Make sure the rotini pasta is cooked and cooled.
- Combine. Stir together the rotini, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella in a large bowl.
- Chill. Drizzle with Italian dressing and sprinkle with fresh herbs over the easy pasta salad recipe. Toss then place in the fridge until ready to serve.
5 star review
“Yummy! This is such a delicious and very colorful pasta salad! We love how tasty and easy this recipe is! Excited to make this again!”
-Beth
Tips for the Perfect Pasta Salad
- Salt the water. A trick when boiling the pasta is to salt the water first. It helps improve the flavor of the noodles, as well as helps the water boil slightly faster.
- Cook al dente. The goal is to cook the noodles al dente so that they’re tender to bite but will still remain sturdy enough to hold up in this Italian easy pasta salad recipe.
- Noodles. Try different pasta noodles like farfalle, penne, or rigatoni. Each of these types of noodles locks in the salad dressing when tossed together.
- Extras. Mix in some pepperoni or chopped salami, sliced cucumbers, corn, broccoli or cauliflower, and chickpeas, or add a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese. Swap feta for mozzarella, or leave the cheese out entirely to make this a vegan dish.
- Let marinate. For the best pasta salad side dish, chill it in the fridge for a few hours. This allows the dressing to marinate with the pasta and veggies so that it’s extra flavorful. A cold pasta salad is the best during hot summer weather!
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Just be sure to use a big enough bowl when stirring everything together.
Traditionally this dish is made with rotini noodles. They have the perfect shape and ridges to really soak in the flavor from the Italian dressing. That doesn’t mean you can’t use other varieties of noodles though. Penne, fusilli, or bow-tie pasta would all work great, too.
When stored covered in the refrigerator your pasta salad should stay fresh for about 5 days. If the pasta has soaked up all the dressing, add a bit more pasta salad dressing to freshen it up.
You can definitely make this recipe the night beforehand if you prefer. The longer it marinates in the fridge, the more flavor it will have. I love to make it ahead of time and then when ready to serve, I’ll add fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Delicious!
I don’t recommend freezing the pasta salad once it has been assembled as the veggies will change texture once thawed. You could freeze plain cooked pasta in advance by tossing it with a bit of olive, flash-freezing it, and then freezing it until ready to use. When ready to use just thaw and proceed with the recipe.
More summer pasta salad recipes to try include easy Italian tortellini pasta salad, chicken pesto pasta salad and orzo salad with homemade vinaigrette.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
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Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (1-pound) box tri-color rotini pasta
- 1 red bell pepper , chopped
- 1 green bell pepper , chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes , sliced in half
- ½ sliced red onion
- 1 cup sliced olives
- 8 ounces small mozzarella balls
- 1 cup Italian dressing or vinaigrette , more if desired
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley or basil)
- Shredded parmesan cheese , optional
Optional add-ins: Chickpeas, Snap peas, Chopped salami or pepperoni
Instructions
- Cook rotini according to package. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- In a large bowl, stir together rotini, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, olives, and mozzarella balls.
- Pour Italian dressing over the top and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Top with parmesan cheese, if desired, before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 4th of July, Italian, Nut-Free, Pasta Salad, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I’ve made this twice now and it is always a huge hit! Everyone asks for the recipe!
Can I double this recipe??? Do I need to change anything if I double it??? Thanks
Yes, you can definitely double it. No need to change anything, just make sure to use a bigger pot/bowl :)
Such a perfect pasta salad for any day!
This will be a hit for our Memorial Day party this year! I always love a good pasta salad; yum!
This salad is sooooo good! Sometimes I make it with cheese tortellini – it’s always a big hit!
Loved the mozzarella balls in this recipe…a perfect addition!
I make this for just about every occasion!
Always a hit at BBQs! Love this recipe!!
Made this yesterday and had to make a new batch….didn’t last long….yum
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for your comment! :)
Am I crazy or does the picture look like sugar snap peas instead of chickpeas? Lol I love both and I’m sure the recipe would be equally great with either!
I rate myself at 3 on a scale of 10 as far as cooking skills are concerned.
And I’ve come across such amazingly simple yet wonderful recipes around here today that I am sure come back for more in the near future.
Already subscribed to your email updates. :)
That looks awesome….love the jars. Do you have a special place you get them ?
Thanks Bev! I found the jars at Target. Love that store! :)
it sounds like a perfect dish for hot summer days. looks awesome, too!
I love this salad and I am sure that I can eat a lot of this. Thanks for sharing the recipe so I am sure that I will make this one afterward.
This looks delicious! Great pics too.
Thanks Kara! It’s such a yummy and easy salad. XO
We make this salad all the time in the summer! We add black olives, cubed cheese, and turkey pepperoni to it also! So good and the kids love it!
I love pasta salad and make one similar to this one. I use Bernstein’s Cheese Fantastico Italian dressing. It is awesome and stands up well with the pasta and veggies.
Yes! It is one of my favorite salads too, especially in the summer. Sometimes i also add cubed cheese and black olives. Like you said, it is so simple and so easy to make it your own.