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Home » Salad » Italian Pasta Salad

Published: Jun 24, 2021 by Kathy · This post may contain affiliate links

Italian Pasta Salad

Jump to Recipe
A pasta salad with tomatoes, cheese and salami.

A tasty Italian pasta salad perfect as a side or main dish. Filled with sliced salami, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncinis, kalamata olives and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Make this salad in the morning and let all the flavors meld together for a tasty pasta salad to serve for dinner.

A bowl filled with fussili pasta, tomatoes and cheese.
Table of Contents
Why make this recipe
Key ingredients
Step by step directions
Recipe tips and variations
Recipe Faqs
Serving suggestions
Italian Pasta Salad

Why make this recipe

Pasta salads are comfort foods in the salad world. You've got the carbohydrates from the pasta that fill you up, lots of tasty add-ins like olives, salami, tomatoes and onions all covered in a highly flavored vinaigrette. What's not to love?

There are so many versions of pasta salad and just as many versions of Italian pasta salad. This is a recipe you can feel good about serving to your family or taking to a potluck dinner.

It's sure to be eaten up and will have everyone coming back for seconds.

Key ingredients

Small bowls filled with different ingredients for making pasta salad.
  • Pasta - I use tri-color fusilli pasta
  • Salami - Dry cured Italian salami sliced into thin strips
  • Mozzarella - Fresh mini balls cut into quarters
  • Kalamata olives
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Pepperoncinis

Step by step directions

  • Make the dressing by combining olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, honey and dried Italian seasonings into a glass jar with a lid
  • Shake vigorously until everything is well combined
  • A glass jar filled with olive oil, vinegar and herbs.
  • A mixed vinaigrette in a glass jar with a lid.
  • Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions
  • Drain and rinse pasta under cool water
  • Place pasta, salami, mozzarella, olives, tomatoes, pepperoncinis and onions in a large bowl
  • Mix carefully until ingredients are distributed
A bowl filled with pasta, tomatoes, onions and salami.
  • Pour dressing over salad and mix to combine
An Italian dressing being poured over a pasta salad.
  • Add freshly chopped parsley and parmesan cheese
Chopped parsley and parmesan cheese on top of a pasta salad.
  • Cover and refrigerate until chilled through
A closeup shot of a pasta salad with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Rinse pasta to help cool it down before adding other ingredients. Be certain to drain well.
  • Stir pasta before serving to make certain the dressing is well distributed
  • This pasta salad can be eaten right away, but it is best served chilled giving the flavors a chance to meld together
  • Use your favorite type of pasta - a short to medium pasta works best. Use farfalle, rotini or even elbow macaroni
  • Substitute sliced black olives for the kalamata olive

Recipe Faqs

How long will this pasta salad last?

This pasta salad will last for 3-4 days if covered and stored in the refrigerator.

Can I make ahead of time?

Yes, this salad is best made ahead and refrigerated before serving.

Serving suggestions

Pasta salad can be served with almost any meal as a side dish and makes a wonderful main dish for lunch too. Consider serving with any barbecued entrees.

  • Smoked Baby Back Ribs
  • Beer Basted Chicken
  • Grilled Flank Steak
  • Burgers or Hot Dogs
A forkful of pasta salad.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Be certain to check out all my delicious salad recipes!

  • Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
  • Tortellini Pasta Salad
  • Raspberry Vinaigrette
  • Lemon Vinaigrette
A bowl filled with fussili pasta, tomatoes and cheese.

Italian Pasta Salad

Kathy
A flavorful pasta salad with sliced salami, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and olives all covered with a homemade dressing.
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 454 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Large Mixing Bowl
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

Dressing

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (dried)
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Salad

  • 8 ounces Tri-color Fusilli pasta
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • ¾ cup Fresh mozzarella cheese (mini balls cut into quarters)
  • ½ cup Dry Italian salami (sliced into thin strips)
  • ½ cup Pepperoncini peppers (sliced into thin strips)
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives (quartered)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
  • ¼ cup Red onion (diced)
  • ¼ cup Italian parsley (fresh, chopped)

Instructions
 

Dressing

  • Make the dressing by combining olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, honey and dried Italian seasonings into a glass jar with a lid
    ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon honey
  • Shake vigorously until everything is well combined

Salad

  • Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions
    8 ounces Tri-color Fusilli pasta
  • Drain and rinse pasta under cool water. Drain well.
  • Place pasta, salami, mozzarella, olives, tomatoes, pepperoncinis and onions in a large bowl
    1 cup cherry tomatoes, ¾ cup Fresh mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Dry Italian salami, ½ cup Pepperoncini peppers, ¼ cup Red onion, ½ cup Kalamata olives
  • Toss with a large spoon to carefully incorporate all ingredients
  • Pour dressing over pasta. Toss again.
  • Add Parmesan cheese and freshly cut parsley. Toss until combined.
    ½ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup Italian parsley
  • Cover and refrigerate until chilled

Notes

Tips and Variations
  • Rinse pasta to help cool it down before adding other ingredients. Be certain to drain well.
  • Stir pasta before serving to make certain the dressing is well distributed
  • This pasta salad can be eaten right away, but it is best served chilled giving the flavors a chance to meld together
  • Use your favorite type of pasta - a short to medium pasta works best. Use farfalle, rotini or even elbow macaroni
  • Substitute sliced black olives for the kalamata olive

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 14gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 812mgPotassium: 260mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 583IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 207mgIron: 2mg
Keyword pasta salad
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan K says

    July 19, 2021 at 12:53 pm

    1st rule of making pasta salad, NEVER RINSE IT UNDER COLD WATER. You put the dressing on the warm pasta so it sticks to it!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 20, 2021 at 6:05 am

      Thanks for the tip! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

    June 25, 2021 at 4:57 am

    5 stars
    Such a delicious pasta salad, perfect for summer! Love all the flavourful, hearty ingredients. This one needs to happen over the summer. I know it'll be a hit!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      June 25, 2021 at 5:11 am

      Perfect for summertime!
      Enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  3. David @ Spiced says

    June 25, 2021 at 4:13 am

    5 stars
    My mother-in-law makes a similar pasta salad, and I'm not kidding when I say it's one of my top 3 favorite summer recipes! Summer can't officially begin until we've had a batch of that pasta salad. Her version uses cubes of provolone cheese, but I need to try this with fresh mozzarella now - sounds delicious, Kathy!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      June 25, 2021 at 5:11 am

      I like having options to mix things up a bit. Provolone sounds like a delicious option!

      Reply

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I'm Kathy, a busy working mom who loves to cook from scratch, grow a garden, and raise farm animals. Take a look around and find all my recipes, gardening tips, and country living antics.

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