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Quick Italian Pasta Salad (with 1 Secret Ingredient) Recipe

Quick Italian Pasta Salad (with 1 Secret Ingredient) Recipe

5 from 22 reviews

This Quick Italian Pasta Salad is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish that features a secret ingredient in its delicious dressing. Packed with classic Italian flavors, this salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a refreshing side dish.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta Salad:

  • 1 lb rotini noodles
  • 3.5 to 4 oz pepperoni (about 3/4 cup, quartered)
  • 4 oz salami slices (about 3/4 cup, cut into quarters)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 1 cup black olives (halved and drained)
  • 1 orange bell pepper (diced)
  • 1 green bell pepper (diced)
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
  • 2 tbsp chopped pepperoncini
  • 8 oz mozzarella pearls
  • Grated parmesan cheese and minced parsley, for topping

Italian Dressing:

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Italian Dressing – Put all dressing ingredients in a jar, shake well, refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Cook the Rotini Pasta – Boil water, cook pasta until al dente, drain, and transfer to a bowl.
  3. Combine Pasta and Half of the Dressing – Pour half of the dressing over warm pasta and toss to coat.
  4. Add Remaining Salad Ingredients – Add pepperoni, salami, tomatoes, olives, bell peppers, onion, pepperoncini, and mozzarella to the pasta.

Notes

  • For a vegetarian version, omit the pepperoni and salami.
  • You can customize this salad by adding your favorite vegetables or protein.
  • This salad tastes best when served chilled.

Nutrition

Keywords: Italian Pasta Salad, Quick Salad Recipe, Pasta Salad with Pepperoni