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Supreme Pasta Salad

Supreme pasta salad that’s loaded with meats, melty mozzarella, crisp vegetables, and a creamy Italian dressing. Cooked rotini is tossed, seasoned, then chilled so every bite is hearty and cohesive—great as a deluxe salad for crowds.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tri-color rotini pasta
  • 1 lb tri-color rotini pasta
Cured meats
  • 8 oz salami cubed
  • 8 oz pepperoni quartered
Cheese
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese cubed
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Vegetables and olives
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup cucumber diced
  • 1 cup black olives sliced
  • 1 cup green bell pepper diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion diced
Dressing and seasoning
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the tri-color rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, green bell pepper, and red onion in a large bowl and toss gently to mix.
Dress and season
  1. Add the Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, then toss until everything is evenly coated with a creamy dressing.
Final seasoning
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss again so the flavors distribute throughout the salad.
Chill for best texture
  1. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, tossing occasionally so the dressing absorbs and the salad stays cohesive.
Serve
  1. Before serving, check the texture and add more dressing if needed, then toss and serve chilled.

Notes

For cleaner, firmer bites, rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water and cool it fully before dressing. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; it’s best eaten cold and the texture softens slightly over time. Freezing is not recommended. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat mozzarella and a lower-calorie Italian dressing (the salad will still taste well-seasoned, but it won’t be as rich).