The Best Pasta Salad Recipe with Homemade Dressing

4.79 from 38 votes

The Best Pasta Salad Recipe with Homemade Dressing

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.

Prep Time5

Cook Time1

Chilling1

Total Time1 5

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: cups pasta salad (about 30 servings)

Author: Laura Sandford

Cost: $8

Equipment

Ingredients

Pasta salad:

16 ounces rotini pasta (uncooked, 4 cups)
1 cup pepperoni (diced)
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (cubed)
1 cucumber diced
2 cups bell pepper diced (colors of your choice)
12 ounces black olives (sliced)
½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

Dressing:

1 cup olive oil
½ cup white balsamic vinegar*
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground mustard
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Roasted tomatoes:

2 pint baby tomatoes
2 TBS olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Dressing

In a small bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, mix together the dressing ingredients. Set aside.

Roast the Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Slice the baby tomatoes in half.
Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Spread onto a large baking sheet and bake for 60-90 minutes.
Once tomatoes are shriveled and roasted to your liking, remove from oven and let cool.

Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
When finished, drain in a colander. Do not rinse.

Assemble the Pasta Salad

In a large bowl, mix the pasta, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, cucumber, bell pepper, , olives, and Parmesan cheese.
Add the dressing and stir to combine.
Stir in the roosted tomatoes.
Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before serving.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

Pasta: You can easily make this dish gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta and pepperoni.
Vegetables: substitute your preferred vegetables if desired.
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. fresh herbs are great substitutes for the dried.
Mozzarella. use either pearl mozzarella or chop a log of fresh mozzarella cheese into small cubes.
Pepperoni. For a lighter version use turkey pepperoni. For a vegetarian version, omit the pepperoni.

Store

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

Nutrition