Stop! This is my #1 cold pasta salad recipe that everyone asks for. An Italian Pasta Salad with pepperoni, tri color rotini, mozzarella, olives, tomatoes and italian dressing. Pepperoni Pasta Salad is easy to make ahead pasta and ideal for potlucks, BBQs, and family dinners. The pasta can be cooked on the stovetop or instant pot, you decide!
Ready in 60 mins | Perfect as Sid Dish | 6 Qt Pressure Cooker
Not to mention this Cold Pasta Salad is loaded with yummy ingredients like cherry tomatoes, olives and parmesan cheese.
If that's not reason enough for this salad to be a perfect Pot Luck Salad, then let me share one more reason why you need to make this recipe.
This recipe has been the favorite Cold Pasta Salad at our neighborhood BBQ 3 years in a row. To me that's pretty darn perfect!
We are a BBQ kind of family which means all sorts of amazingly yummy Pasta Salad Recipes and I always want to bring a pot luck salad recipe that gets eaten.
We have loved making Pepperoni Pasta Salad because of how easy it is to make and how it packs a punch of flavors that we love.
Plus my picky eater loves the mini Pepperoni and the Mozzarella pearls are a total hit too!
But if you want a hot pasta, then please try my creamy Bowtie Noodles with a light cream sauce or my Garlic Lemon Pasta. You might also enjoy Teriyaki Noodles a quick and simple recipe. They are all fantastic.
"It’s so easy and delicious I almost have it memorized!!! Brought it to one family cook out and now it’s required of me to bring it to every food function hahaha absolutely delicious!!!!"
~ Mamabear
I use Tri Color noodles for the cold pasta salad recipe. Why? Well, I love the garden noodles and how it adds to the color of the Pasta Salad but the flavor too.
Who doesn’t need a little more veggies in their diet anyways? I sure do.
This recipe is simple and uses ingredients you likely have at home too. Don't hesitate to use some of those fresh veggies from the fridge and use ingredients that you love.
Your local grocery store will have the Mini Pepperoni as well as the Mozzarella Pearls so don’t worry, they are easy to find! But a fun tip is to slice Mozzarella Cheese Sticks in slices too. Kids love them and you likely have them on hand.
Cold Pasta Salad
Cold Pasta Salad are favorites because of how easy they are to make and a perfect Summer Side Dish or Dinner Recipe.
On those hot summer nights, a cool pasta salad is ideal. So load this summer salad up with all the favorites and make a meal of it.
You can add or substitute to this Pepperoni Pasta Salad Recipe by adding your favorite Pizza toppings too. Throw in mushrooms, or bell peppers for some added texture and taste too.
Making the Dressing is super simple as well. You can always use a bottled Italian Dressing or make your own with some Vegetable Oil and Red Wine Vinegar and Italian Seasonings.
Don’t forget to throw in a few Red Pepper Flakes. It gives a little kick to the Cold Pasta Salad that is perfect!
Don't Forget a Dessert!
Our FAVORITE Potluck Dessert is this Sunflower Cake. Can be put together on the spot with a few items from your local grocery store.
Feeds a crowd and it's always the first dessert gone!
How to make Pepperoni Pasta Salad?
Pepperoni Pasta Salad can be made on the Stove Top or the Instant Pot. I have included both in the Recipe Card below!
Tri Colored Pasta Salad
I choose to make Cold Pepperoni Pasta Salad with Tri color Noodles. I love the look it gives to the salad as well as the flavor of using Garden noodles. You can however use plain noodles.
Is Pizza Pasta Salad and Pepperoni Pasta Salad the same thing?
Yes! Make Pizza Pasta Salad or Cold Pepperoni Pasta Salad Recipe using the same or similar ingredients. It’s a cold pot luck salad that complements any meal
How much Pasta Salad per person?
Generally speaking you would want about 4-5 ounces of Pasta Salad per person.
Can Pasta Salad be Gluten Free?
Of course it can, but you must use Gluten Free Pasta and other Gluten Free Ingredients.
Cooking Gluten Free Pasta in the Instant Pot or on the Stove will take additional time.
Can Pasta Salad be made the day ahead?
We all know what it’s like to make things right when we need them, so go ahead and make this salad the day before. Just hold off adding the Italian Dressing until you are ready to serve.
The pasta will absorb all the Italian Dressing if you pour it on the day before.
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Pasta Pepperoni Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz Tri Colored Rotini Pasta
- 4 Cups Water
- 8 oz Mini Pepperoni
- 4 oz Sliced Olives
- 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes ~ Sliced in half
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Pearls
- ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 ¼ Cup Italian Dressing
Instructions
- Instant Pot Directions:
- Place water and Tri Colored Rotini in Instant Pot. Set to Manual (Pressure Cook) High for 3 mins with a 3 minute natural release. 4 Cups Water, 12 oz Tri Colored Rotini Pasta
- Rinse Pasta under cold water and place in the refrigerator for 30-45 mins
- In a separate large bowl Combine cooked cooled pasta, Pepperoni, sliced Tomatoes, Olives, Mozzarella Pearls, and grated Parmesan Cheese. Toss to combine. 8 oz Mini Pepperoni, 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes ~ Sliced in half, 4 oz Sliced Olives, 1 Cup Mozzarella Pearls, ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese
- Pour Italian Dressing over top just before serving, and toss so everything is coated. 1 ¼ Cup Italian Dressing
- Store in Refrigerator until ready to eat. Leftovers can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Stove Top Directions:
- Follow directions on Pasta package for cooking instructions
- Rinse Pasta under cold water and place in the refrigerator for 30-45 mins
- In a separate large bowl Combine cooked cooled pasta, Pepperoni, sliced Tomatoes, Olives, Mozzarella Pearls, and grated Parmesan Cheese. Toss to combine
- Pour Italian Dressing over top just before serving, and toss so everything is coated.
- Store in Refrigerator until ready to eat. Leftovers can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
Shannon
This is a very good pasta salad. I also added cut up salami and sesame seeds on top. Very good
Devour Dinner
Those are great substitutions! So thrilled you enjoyed them
MommaBear
It’s so easy and delicious I almost have it memorized!!! Brought it to one family cook out and now it’s required of me to bring it to every food function hahaha absolutely delicious!!!!
Devour Dinner
This is a recipe that everyone loves! Always a great dish to bring to any event or gathering!
s. willis
i didn't have the tri-color pasta, so used the white. i did cut the recipe in half and when i added the italian dressing, i only used enough to keep the pasta from sticking together and give it a bit of the italian flavor. before adding the parmesan i folded in some pizza sauce to just give it some color and the hint of being more pizza-like. it was SO good, and i was happy with that little bit of surprise with the pizza sauce. such a great summer recipe, especially for a group. ty for all of your recipes and demos.
Devour Dinner
Sounds like a fun addition. Thanks for sharing
Michelle Woods
I make this for our annual block party! It’s always a HUGE hit, and because I make two big aluminum pans of it I start the prep of cutting the olives, tomatoes, and cubing the cheese two days before the party. I add medium cheddar and Monterey cheeses. The pasta gets cooked the afternoon before and then everything is mixed together and marinated overnight in the fridge. It’s such a tasty pasta salad.
Katie koopman
This was really good! I do not personally like the pepperonis so I skipped that part but all the other flavors are so good! The best thing is you can add a little more of things you like for example I added extra mozzarella cuz it’s so delicious. With the instant pot it makes is so much easier.
Devour Dinner
This pasta salad recipe is great to add or take out ingredients. So glad you enjoyed it.
Nicole Cox
I made this one day and the kids loved it!!! This is definitely a recipe that I saved for future use as well. So simple and flavorful!!! I love browsing your recipes for something to make as I learn to expand my use on my instant pot!!
Devour Dinner
Hi Nicole, thanks for the raving 5 star review. We love how simple this recipe is too. Thanks so much
Kathy
Would you use two cups of water is using half package of pasta?
Devour Dinner
If you cut the pasta in half you would cut the liquid in half as well.