The Best Italian Pasta Salad Recipe: Made with high-quality ingredients and bursting with flavor, this is the most perfect cold pasta salad! Featuring a mixture of al dente pasta with a medley of fresh ingredients and a tangy, herb-infused dressing, this pasta salad has the perfect balance of tastes and textures!

Italian pasta salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

Why We Love This Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

I know many families have an Italian-style salad recipe that gets pulled out for picnics and large events.

I’m partial to the ones that are heavily loaded with fresh veggies and pops of rich flavor from the salami, olives, and soft mozzarella. My personal adaptation is to add jarred “Grilled Piquillo Peppers” to offer a bit of tangy sweetness. If you can’t find them, jarred roasted red peppers provide a similar appeal.

Therefore, this is what I consider The Best Italian Pasta Salad Recipe. It’s bold, textually diverse, and holds up well for several days in the refrigerator.

I’ve never tasted another version I like better.

Pasta salad ingredients with dressing in a bowl.

Ingredients You Need

The homemade Italian vinaigrette is made with a generous amount of fresh garlic, giving the entire bowl a zesty punch.

  • Red Wine Vinegar – A rich and full-flavored taste of acidic vinegar.
  • Olive Oil – And what pairs well with vinegar? Beautiful olive oil.
  • Garlic – Zesty and delicious.
  • Honey – To add sweetness to the dressing.
  • Dried Italian Seasoning – To season the salad.
  • Salt – Helps balance and enhance all other flavors.

The pasta salad ingredients are packed with fresh vegetables, savory meats, and cheeses!

  • Fusilli Pasta – This is the corkscrew-shaped pasta, short or long
  • Cherry Tomatoes – Sweeter and less acidic than regular tomatoes
  • Hard Salami – Smokey and sumptuous, it’s the perfect addition to this salad
  • Roasted Red Peppers – Or grilled piquillo peppers
  • Red Onion – For flavor and crunch
  • Italian Parsley – The flat-leaved parsley with robust flavor
  • Mini Mozzarella Balls – Not only are these cheese balls so cute, they are also so fresh and delicious
  • Black Olives – This brings a salty and oily flavor to the salad
Overhead view of Italian pasta salat in a large serving bowl.
Wooden spoon with scoop of pasta salad on it.

How To Make Italian Pasta Salad

Find the full Best Pasta Salad recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.

Serving Suggestions

This best pasta salad is amazing to serve as a side dish during the summertime, when you can serve it with all your favorite grilled proteins! I highly recommend taking this to your next cookout or gathering, since it is seriously great for feeding a crowd. Try serving it with some of my personal favorites:

Noodles, veggies, salami, cheese and olives with dressing in a large bowl.

Tips & Tricks

  • Add additional veggies! The beauty of pasta salad is that you can add different veggies and it will still be so delicious. You can add things like bell pepper, spinach, and fresh herbs like parsley!
  • Instead of salami, you can use pepperoni or even ham! Make sure to use fresh mozzarella balls here. They are creamy and so delicious! If you can only find one large mozzarella ball or log, then dice it up into bite-sized pieces.
  • Use your favorite pasta shapes! This easy pasta salad recipe is best with short shapes of pasta like fusilli, rotini pasta, penne, or farfalle!
  • For ease, you can use your favorite Italian dressing. I prefer making mine homemade so I know exactly what’s in it, but it would still be delicious with store-bought salad dressing.
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Best Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
The Best Italian Pasta Salad Recipe: Made with fresh ingredients and bursting with flavor this is the most perfect Italian style pasta salad!
Servings: 12 Servings

Video

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

For the Vinaigrette:

For the Italian Pasta Salad:

  • 1 pound fusilli pasta
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup chopped hard salami slices
  • 3/4 cup chopped grilled piquillo peppers or jarred roasted red peppers
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 12 ounces mini mozzarella balls, drained and halved (22-24 balls)
  • 3.8 ounces sliced black olives (1 can), drained

Instructions

  • Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add a large spoonful of salt to the water. Then stir in the dried pasta. Cook according to package instructions, usually 6-8 minutes to al dente. Drain the pasta, and rinse with cold water in a colander. Shake off the excess water and place the pasta in a large salad bowl.
  • While the pasta is boiling, whisk all the ingredients of the vinaigrette in a small bowl. Set aside. Then chop all the salad ingredients.
  • Pour the tomatoes, sliced hard salami, chopped piquillo peppers, red onion, parsley, mozzarella ball and olives over the pasta. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss well to coat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed.

Notes

The Best Italian Pasta Salad Recipe tastes best, when it’s had time to sit, so the flavors mingle together. If you can, make it several hours (or even a day) ahead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 363kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 478mg, Potassium: 254mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 375IU, Vitamin C: 18.9mg, Calcium: 132mg, Iron: 1.3mg
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Sommer Collier
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Frequently Asked Questions

Should you let pasta cool down before adding it to pasta salad?

Yes, you want to add cooled pasta to pasta salad. Instead of taking the time to allow it to cool down, simply rinse the pasta in a colander with cold water!

Can I make this Italian salad recipe ahead of time?

Absolutely! This recipe is a great make-ahead for parties, family events, or as an easy lunchbox item to enjoy all week. Actually, most pasta salads taste better after sitting for a day or two. Just make sure to cover it well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Does this Italian pasta salad recipe need to be refrigerated?

Oh yes. With all the meats, cheeses, and fresh produce in the mix, you do need to keep it chilled until you are ready to serve it.

What goes with cold pasta salad?

This best pasta salad recipe goes with just about everything! Serve this salad with grilled proteins, picnic foods, and barbecue favorites.

Can I make gluten free pasta salad?

Yes! However, most gluten-free pasta varieties break down within a few hours. So if you want to go gluten-free, you will need to serve it immediately after mixing.

Would omitting the onion change the results of the recipe?

You can omit the onions. There are plenty of other pungent flavors represented.

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