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This classic tri-color rotini pasta salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks, or quick lunches. It’s a crowd-pleasing side dish that requires just a few simple steps.
What You’ll Love About This Rotini Pasta Salad
- Easy To Make: Our simple recipe uses simple ingredients and takes only fifteen minutes to make.
- Crowd-pleaser: This salad has a five-star rating and is always the first to go, especially on hot summer days. It is the perfect side dish for any occasion.
- Flavorful: The pops of salty, tangy, and sweet come together to create a flavor explosion in every bite.
Ingredients
Tri-Color Pasta: We love using rotini for this pasta salad. Rotini’s twists and ridges hold onto dressing and other ingredients perfectly, making it ideal for pasta salad.
Italian Dressing: Use your favorite dressing, such as Creamy Italian dressing or Zesty Italian dressing. You can even make your own homemade Italian dressing.
Mozzarella Cheese: Use a block of mozzarella that you cut up, or use mozzarella cheese pearls.
Black Olives: We used sliced black olives, but feel free to use kalamata olives.
Bell Peppers: We love the color pops of green and red bell peppers, but use any color(s).
Cherry Tomatoes: During the summer, when our gardens are overflowing with fresh tomatoes, we chop some up and add them to the salad.
How to Make Rotini Pasta Salad
***This is just a teaser! To see the complete ingredient list and step-by-step instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Drain the rotini pasta, but DO NOT run it under cold water.
- Toss cooked pasta with 1 cup of salad dressing and let cool for 30 minutes. This will help the pasta absorb the dressing.
- Add pasta, mozzarella cheese, olives, peppers, and remaining dressing to a large bowl.
- Toss the pasta salad to combine. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, transfer to a serving bowl, and enjoy.
Top Tips For Success
- Dress the pasta warm: Warm pasta absorbs dressing better for maximum flavor. This is the #1 tip for flavorful pasta salad!
- Chill the salad before serving: Chilled pasta salad allows flavors to meld and creates a refreshing side dish.
- Season to taste: Adjust salt and pepper at the end for optimal seasoning.
Make It A Meal
This is a great side dish to serve alongside any protein. We enjoy serving it at a summer party when grilling BBQ chicken drumsticks. Definitely make it for your next BBQ.
It’s also delicious alongside these Air-Fryer Steak Bites. Serve with fresh bread or rolls, and you have the perfect cozy meal. It is the ideal summer side dish.
Storage
Serve: After chilling, serve within two hours. It can sit at room temperature for two hours before it should be placed in the fridge.
Store: Leftovers will stay good for 4-5 days in the refrigerator, covered in an airtight container. It even tastes better the next day, making this a great option for meal prep for lunches throughout the week.
Freeze: While you can freeze pasta, the texture does change after it defrosts. For the best results, we recommend not freezing the pasta salad.
Recipe FAQs
What is Italian pasta salad made of?
Our pasta salad ingredients include pasta, cheese, and some fresh veggies. We use fresh ingredients to create a delicious mixture where the flavors meld together while it chills in the fridge.
Should I rinse pasta for cold pasta salad?
Yes, it is a good practice to rinse the pasta after cooking it to al dente and draining it. This helps stop the cooking process. If the pasta is overcooked, it can lead to mushy pasta, which is the opposite of what we are looking for in this recipe.
Why does my pasta salad taste bland?
A good pasta salad will balance sweet, tangy, and salty flavors. If you feel the salad is missing something, try adding a little more salt and pepper. These basic seasonings will add a lot of flavor to the dish’s overall flavor.
More From The Cozy Fork
Rotini Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Collander
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Liquid measuring cup
- measuring cups
- mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 12 oz box tri- color pasta, 12oz
- 2 cups Italian dressing, your favorite Italian dressing
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced
- 8 ounces can sliced black olives
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
COOK THE PASTA:
- Prepare the pasta following the instructions on the box, and once it’s done, drain it.
- Return it to the pot and set aside.
DRESSING:
- Pour 1 cup of Italian dressing into the pasta and stir until the pasta absorbs the dressing.
- Cover the pot with a lid and cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
PASTA MIXTURE:
- Combine the pasta, mozzarella cheese, olives, green and red bell pepper in a large bowl. Add the remaining 1 cup of Italian dressing and mix.
COVER & CHILL:
- Toss the salad until all ingredients are incorporated then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
TO FINISH:
- Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, then transfer the salad to a serving bowl.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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