Pepperoni Pasta Salad
This pepperoni pasta salad recipe combines tri-color rotini, two cheeses, and a tangy Italian dressing in one bowl that feeds a crowd. This version cools the pasta first and holds back a portion of the dressing for a final toss right before serving, so the salad stays glossy instead of clumped.
Equipment
- Large stockpot - For boiling the pasta
- Colander - For draining and rinsing the pasta
- Large mixing bowl - Big enough to toss everything without spilling
- Sharp chef's knife - For dicing vegetables
- Salad Tongs - For tossing without bruising the ingredients
- Airtight storage container - For leftovers
- OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner - (optional) For drying vegetables after washing
- Small bowl - For whisking the dressing
Ingredients
- 16 oz tri-color rotini pasta - or regular rotini
- 12 oz sliced pepperoni - regular or mini, large slices cut into quarters
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls - drained
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese - plus extra for garnish
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes - halved
- 1 medium cucumber - diced
- ½ medium red onion - thinly sliced
- 1 medium bell pepper - green or red, diced
- 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives - drained
- ⅓ cup pepperoncini - sliced, optional but recommended
- ¾ cup Italian dressing - divided (½ cup for dressing, ¼ cup reserved for finishing)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes - optional
- Salt - to taste, plus for salting pasta water
- Black pepper - to taste
- Fresh basil - chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large stockpot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rotini and cook until al dente according to package directions (10-12 minutes).
- Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse immediately under cold water until fully cooled. Shake well to remove excess water and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, dice the cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Slice pepperoncini and drain olives. Quarter large pepperoni slices if needed.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup Italian dressing, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, pepperoni, mozzarella pearls, Parmesan, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, olives, and pepperoncini.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently with tongs until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Just before serving, toss with the reserved ¼ cup Italian dressing. Top with fresh basil and extra Parmesan. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Rinse the pasta in cold water: Skipping this step leaves the noodles hot enough to melt the mozzarella into a greasy mess.
- Salt the pasta water generously: It's the only chance the noodles themselves get to pick up flavor, since nothing else in the recipe cooks with them.
- Cut vegetables to a similar size: Uniform pieces make every forkful balanced instead of all pasta or all pepperoni in one bite.
- Hold back some dressing: Tossing in a fresh splash right before serving fixes the dryness that builds up in the fridge.
- Use block cheese over pre-shredded: Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents that keep it from blending smoothly into a cold salad.
- Let it sit at least 30 minutes: The flavors need time to move from the dressing into the pasta and vegetables.
- Taste before serving: Cold temperatures dull seasoning, so a salad that tasted perfectly balanced when warm may need an extra pinch of salt once chilled.
- Turkey pepperoni swap: Swapping in turkey pepperoni cuts the grease pooling at the bottom of the bowl without changing the flavor much.
- Make-ahead tip: The salad can be fully assembled up to a day in advance; just hold back the final splash of dressing until serving time.
- Refreshing leftovers: A small drizzle of Italian dressing and a gentle toss brings dried-out leftovers back to life.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 15gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 10mg
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