Classic Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Rotini, broad pieces of salami, mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, olives, banana peppers, and red onion make a colorful, scoopable pasta salad. Bottled Italian dressing gives everything a light, tangy coating without making the salad creamy.
Cook the rotini just to al dente, then cool and dry it before tossing. The salad needs at least an hour in the refrigerator, and a little dressing held back will refresh the pasta before serving. Makes 8 side-dish servings.
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini pasta (450g)
- 1 cup bottled Italian dressing, divided (240ml)
- 5 ounces thinly sliced salami, cut into broad bite-size pieces (140g)
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls, drained (225g)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (about 300g)
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives, drained (75g)
- 1/2 cup sliced banana peppers or pepperoncini, drained (75g)
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 35g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (25g)
How to Make Classic Pasta Salad
- Cook the rotini: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, stir to separate the spirals, and cook uncovered at a steady boil, stirring occasionally. Follow the package directions, usually about 8 to 10 minutes, but start checking a minute or two before the lower suggested time. Drain when the pasta is tender but still slightly firm and holding its shape.
- Cool and dry the pasta: Briefly rinse the drained rotini under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain thoroughly and pat dry so rinse water does not dilute the dressing. Alternatively, spread the drained pasta on a rimmed sheet pan to cool promptly without rinsing.
- Prepare the mix-ins: While the pasta cools, halve the tomatoes, thinly slice the onion, and cut the salami into broad pieces. Drain the mozzarella, olives, and peppers well.
- Toss the salad: In a large bowl, gently combine the cool pasta with the salami, mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, peppers, onion, parsley, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan. Add 3/4 cup of the dressing and toss until lightly coated, with no dressing pooling in the bowl. Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup.
- Chill and serve: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Toss again before serving. If the pasta looks dry, add reserved dressing a little at a time, then taste and adjust as needed.
Why Save Some Dressing?
Rotini absorbs dressing as it chills, so a salad that looks lightly coated when assembled may look dry later. Adding the reserved dressing just before serving restores a light sheen without making the salad soggy. How much you need depends on the dressing and how long the salad has rested.
Ingredient Swaps
- Make it meatless: Omit the salami and add extra vegetables if desired.
- Use another short spiral: Fusilli can replace rotini.
- Make the dressing: Use a light, oil-and-vinegar Italian-style dressing in place of bottled dressing, not a creamy one.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Assemble the salad at least an hour ahead or make it the day before. Keep it covered in the refrigerator, then toss and refresh with reserved dressing before serving. For fuller flavor, let it sit out briefly to take the chill off, but keep it refrigerated until shortly before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and aim to use them within about three days for best quality. The tomatoes and cheese may soften as they sit. Freezing is not recommended because the pasta, vegetables, and cheese can lose their texture.
Nutrition Information
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8 side-dish servings: 470 calories, 18g protein, 23g fat, and 47g carbohydrates. Per 100g of prepared salad: about 175 calories, 7g protein, 9g fat, and 18g carbohydrates. Values will vary with the dressing, salami, cheese, and cooked pasta yield.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Rimmed sheet pan
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini pasta (450 g)
- 1 cup bottled Italian dressing, divided (240 ml)
- 5 ounces thinly sliced salami, cut into broad bite-size pieces (140 g)
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls, drained (225 g)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (about 300 g)
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives, drained (75 g)
- 1/2 cup sliced banana peppers or pepperoncini, drained (75 g)
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 35 g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (25 g)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini and cook according to package directions, usually 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm.
- Drain the pasta. Briefly rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, then drain thoroughly and pat dry. Alternatively, spread it on a rimmed sheet pan to cool without rinsing.
- While the pasta cools, halve the tomatoes, thinly slice the onion, and cut the salami into broad bite-size pieces. Drain the mozzarella, olives, and peppers well.
- Combine the cooled pasta, salami, mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, peppers, onion, parsley, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan in a large bowl.
- Add 3/4 cup of the dressing and toss until the ingredients are lightly coated. Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup dressing.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Toss before serving. If the salad looks dry, add reserved dressing a little at a time and adjust to taste.
Tips
- Start checking the pasta a minute or two before the package’s lower suggested cooking time.
- Drain the pasta and mix-ins well so excess water does not dilute the dressing.
- Hold back some dressing because the pasta absorbs it as it chills.
- Add reserved dressing gradually just before serving to refresh the salad without making it soggy.
Variations
- Meatless Pasta Salad: Omit the salami and add extra vegetables if desired.
- Fusilli Pasta Salad: Replace the rotini with fusilli.
- Homemade Italian-Style Dressing: Use a light oil-and-vinegar Italian-style dressing in place of bottled dressing; avoid creamy dressing.