Make this easy Italian Pasta Salad for your next barbecue or pot luck. This pasta salad uses bottled Italian dressing instead of mayonnaise so it makes it a lighter version of a pasta salad to bring to your next get together.
Easy Italian Pasta Salad
We love all types of pasta salads but this Italian pasta salad has bite size pieces of pepperoni and mozzarella to make it a hearty option. I could eat just this pasta salad as a meal, that is how good it is.
Best Italian Pasta Salad
This is my go-to salad to bring when we are going to a barbecue. I love that it does not have mayonnaise in it so it is a bit healthier.
Quick and Easy Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
1 lb pasta, cooked al dente
1 small bottle Italian salad dressing
1 broccoli crown, cooked for about 5 minutes, cut into bite size pieces
1 can large pitted olives
½ pound mozzarella, cut into bite size pieces
½ pound pepperoni slices, cut into bite size pieces
Directions
Reserve about ¼ of the Italian dressing.
Mix all ingredients into a large bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
Toss with the remaining dressing just before serving.
Honestly this is the easiest Italian pasta salad that you can make and comes out great every time. Use other items that you have on hand like marinated mushrooms, artichokes, tomatoes, etc. We sometimes use Genoa salami in addition to the pepperoni slices.
This will easily become a go-to item for all your summer occasions that you are invited to. Another tip if you do not like to use bottled dressing you can easily make your own with oil, red wine vinegar and Italian seasoning. This way you can watch the sugar intake as well for your dressing.
Happy Summer Entertaining!
Have a look at these other recipes for easy entertaining!
Salmon Topped Eggs with Capers
Tuna Nicoise Salad
Tomato Salad
Quick and Easy Italian Pasta Salad
We love all types of pasta salads but this Italian pasta salad has bite size pieces of pepperoni and mozzarella to make it a hearty option. I could eat just this pasta salad as a meal, that is how good it is.
- 1 lb pasta (cooked al dente)
- 1 small bottle Italian salad dressing
- 1 broccoli crown (cooked for about 5 minutes, cut into bite size pieces)
- 1 can large pitted olives
- ½ pound mozzarella (cut into bite size pieces)
- ½ pound pepperoni slices (cut into bite size pieces)
- Reserve about ¼ of the Italian dressing.
- Mix all ingredients into a large bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
- Toss with the remaining dressing just before serving.
Honestly this is the easiest Italian pasta salad that you can make and comes out great every time. Use other items that you have on hand like marinated mushrooms, artichokes, tomatoes, etc. We sometimes use Genoa salami in addition to the pepperoni slices.