This pasta salad recipe is bursting with flavor thanks to homemade dressing and roasted tomatoes. It is a delicious, make-ahead BBQ side dish  full of fresh veggies, pepperoni and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Pasta salad is a quintessential barbecue side dish, and this this pasta salad recipe with homemade dressing is truly the best.

It’s always the hit of the party, and a must make for any summer gathering. It’s my go-to whenever we’re pulling out the grill to feed a crowd (also try lemon pasta salad, BLT pasta salad, greek pasta salad and caprese pastas salad)

This pasta salad recipe is full of fresh summer veggies, features roasted baby tomatoes, and is tossed with a homemade dressing that is out of this world! Plus, you can prepare it in advance to make entertaining a breeze.

Best Pasta Salad Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions 

• Pasta: You can easily make this dish gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta and pepperoni.
• Vegetables: Feel free to swap the veggies in this recipe for your favorites.
• White balsamic vinegar. Regular balsamic vinegar works well too.
• Olive oil. Both canola and avocado oil work well in this recipe. However I think olive oil is the best choice.
• Dried seasoning. Feel free to substitute fresh herbs if you have them on hand.
• Pearl Mozzarella. If you cannot find pearl mozzarella, simply chop fresh mozzarella cheese into small cubes.
• Pepperoni. For a lighter version use turkey pepperoni. For a vegetarian version, omit the pepperoni.

How to Make Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing

Let’s discuss how to make the best pasta salad, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Roast the Tomatoes 

Begin by roasting the tomatoes. This bring out their sweetness and adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the pasta salad. You can use raw tomatoes, but I suggest you try roasting them.

Begin by drizzling the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper.

The roasting process is simple, drizzle on some olive oil, sprinkle a little salt and pepper, stir and bake. Just be sure to bake long enough that the tomatoes become shriveled and dry out as much as you’d like!

Make the Homemade Italian dressing

While the tomatoes are roasting, make the homemade Italian dressing. Simply mix together all the ingredients in a glass measuring cup or add them to a glass jar and shake to combine.

Cook the Pasta

While the tomatoes are roasting, cook the pastsa according to the package instructions in salted water. When it is al dente, drain, but do not rinse the pasta. The dressing sticks much better to un-rinsed noodles.

Assemble the Pasta Salad

Once all the components are ready, it’s time to assemble the pasta salad recipe.

I suggest chopping the vegetables small so there are little bits of veggies in every bite. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl, then add the dressing and stir to combine.

Chill

 I recommend letting this pasta salad recipe sit covered in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours before serving, or overnight.

Taste and adjust! Before serving pasta salad always taste it and adjust the seasonings as necessary! Depending on the pasta used, you may even need to add a touch more dressing. I usually adjust the salt and pepper right before serving.

Serve

Serve this pasta salad recipe with your favorite barbecue dishes. We love making this with hamburgers, BBQ chicken, chicken kebabs, broccoli salad, coleslaw and potato salad.

Store

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.

Pasta Salad Recipe FAQs

If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!

Try these recipes

Lemon Summer Pasta Salad

Chicken Kebab Recipe & Marinade

Greek Pasta Salad

Best Hamburger Recipe

Best Potato Salad Recipe

Caprese Pasta Salad