Description
A crowd-pleasing salad that combines all the flavors of pizza in a refreshing pasta dish, perfect for potlucks and gatherings.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (about 340 g) rotini pasta
- 6–8 oz spicy pepperoni, sliced into half-moons
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced (optional)
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn or cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- 3/4 to 1 cup Italian dressing
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: 1/4 cup sliced black olives, 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, or 2 tbsp capers
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook rotini until just al dente according to package instructions, usually 8–10 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water or plunge into an ice bath to cool quickly.
- Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- While the pasta cools, prepare mix-ins: slice pepperoni, dice peppers and cucumber, halve tomatoes, and cube or tear mozzarella.
- Add pepperoni, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella, and Parmesan to the bowl with pasta.
- Pour Italian dressing over the mixture and toss gently.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper; add more dressing if desired.
- Fold in most of the basil and cover to refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Before serving, give the salad a quick toss and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and basil.
Notes
Best served cold or at room temperature. For meal prep, store dressing separately to maintain freshness of vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Italian