This Classic Italian Pasta Salad recipe is such a hit that your family will be asking for it all year 'round! It's made with bow tie (or tricolor) pasta, pepperoni, black olives, sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, provolone cheese, and Italian dressing.
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It's that time of year again when the answer to my question, "What can I bring?" to family gatherings always seems to be "PASTA SALAD!" Actually, this recipe is requested all year 'round. It's just that good! Even the kids in the family like it! I now joke that I'm not allowed to walk in the door to certain family homes unless I'm carrying a big bowl of pasta salad with me. My recipe is super easy, but everyone swears that I make it the best!
So this past Easter weekend, of course I made a big batch of pasta salad to split between both families. I had ingredients left over, so I made another batch for our house at the beginning of the week. This pasta salad recipe makes a ton, so we enjoy it all week long as lunch or a side dish with dinner! It's also perfect for all of those upcoming spring and summer backyard gatherings!
I usually measure with my heart when I'm making this recipe - a box of pasta, a big handful of sundried tomatoes, a wedge of cheese, and so on. But I decided that this recipe needed to be on my blog. So I broke out the measuring cups (just for you!) and now have a legit recipe for this pasta salad to share!
Classic Italian Pasta Salad
Trust me - once you make this pasta salad, your family will be asking for it over and over again! It's so easy to put together, full of delicious Italian flavors, and even though it makes a pretty big batch, you'll have no problem eating it throughout the week!
To start this pasta salad, we need to cook our pasta according to the instructions on the box. I recommend using a pasta farfalle (bow tie) or a tricolor rotini pasta for this salad. You want a shape that'll really grab onto all of these delicious flavors!
Once the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes, drain it, rinse it good with cold water, and allow it to cool completely. Then, start prepping the rest of the ingredients.
Cube the provolone cheese (you can use mozzarella instead), slice the black olives, and chop the pepperoni, sundried tomatoes (if using whole), and roasted red pepper strips. Add the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl along with the chopped ingredients.
Now, add a bottle of Italian dressing. I like to use zesty Italian dressing. It gives it an extra zip! Stir the pasta salad well to coat with the dressing and incorporate everything together.
Store in the fridge until serving, or add to a serving dish and enjoy immediately.
Classic Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz box pasta like farfalle or tricolor rotini
- 2 cups sharp provolone cheese cubed
- 1 cup pepperoni chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup large pitted black olives sliced
- 1 cup sliced roasted red peppers chopped
- 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes chopped
- 1 15 oz. bottle Italian dressing
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 10 minutes.
- Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside to cool completely.
- Once cool, add cooked pasta and chopped ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Add bottle of Italian dressing to the bowl. Stir well to coat.
- Place salad in a serving dish and serve, or store pasta salad in a sealed container in the fridge until ready to serve.
Even though this pasta salad is delicious the day it's made, I always try to make it a day ahead of time. That way all of the ingredients can sit in the dressing and really soak up those flavors! It lasts about 3-5 days in a sealed container in the fridge. If the pasta soaks up a little too much dressing, just add more! I always like to keep an extra bottle of dressing on hand just for this purpose.
Did you make this Classic Italian Pasta Salad recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
Yum. This looks similar to the pasta salad I used to eat as a kid, only that one didn't have cheese in it. Pasta salad is one of my favorite things to eat in the summer, so I will have to give this version a try when the weather warms up again.
I love pasta salad! My family eats it all year round, but it's perfect in the summer! I hope you enjoy this version!