This Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad has all of the flavors of your favorite supreme pizza, but packed into a veggie-licious pasta salad.
Featuring cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, red onion, and fresh vegetables, this easy recipe is sure to be a bit hit with the whole family!
If you do anything this week, make a big batch of this Italian pasta salad. It features all of your favorite toppings from the best food of all time: pizza! Not only that, it's easy to make, picky eaters love it, and it works just as well as a main dish as it does a side dish.
The best part? It's even better the next day!
Why You'll Love It:
- Perfect for parties. Whether you're hosting Memorial Day weekend, pulling together a Summer potluck, or want to impress your guests with a new recipe, this pizza pasta salad is the perfect side dish for the occasion.
- You can make it your own. Feel free to swap any of the ingredients for your own favorite pizza toppings!
- Great for lunches. It's satisfying, high in protein, and fiber-rich, making it the perfect meal prep for lunch or dinner. We love to use protein pasta for extra nutrition.
You Will Need:
- Pasta: Any medium-cut pasta (like fusilli, rotini, cavatappi, etc.) will work in this recipe. We love to use chickpea pasta (like Banza) for added protein and fiber, making the pasta salad much more satisfying as a lunch or light dinner.
- Pepperoni: For that authentic pepperoni pizza taste! We recommend using mini pepperoni slices and cutting them into quarters, but you can use larger slices and cut them into 6ths or 8ths instead. Feel free to swap pepperoni for salami, turkey pepperoni, etc.
- Mini mozzarella balls: Also known as boccoccini or mozzarella pearls, these little morsels are the perfect bite-sized way to add fresh mozzarella flavor! If you can't find them, try using 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (fresh from the block preferred).
- Sundried tomatoes: Our testers preferred batches made with sundried tomatoes much more than those without. It adds that concentrated "cooked" tomato flavor, reminiscent of traditional pizza sauce.
Plus, some favorite pizza toppings:
- Green pepper
- Red onion
- Black olives (or kalamata)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Basil
- Parmesan cheese
And for the dressing:
- Olive oil
- White wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Salt, pepper, and oregano
How to Make Pepperoni Pasta Salad
This cold pasta salad is perfect for any occasion, and includes the most delicious dressing (made with simple ingredients, mind you). It's flavorful, loaded with veggies, and always a hit at potlucks and parties.
- Cook your pasta according to the package directions, then rinse it well with cold water in a colander over the sink. Shake off any excess water and place it in a large bowl.
- Chop and prepare all of the salad toppings and vegetables, and place them in a bowl along with the cooked and cooled pasta. Toss gently to combine.
- Add ⅓ cup of shredded parmesan cheese, and toss the pasta salad once again.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking together olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the tangy Italian dressing over the pasta salad.
- Toss until the pasta salad is evenly coated in the dressing. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and/or other ingredients as desired. Chill for 30-60 minutes before serving for the best results.
Storing Leftovers
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Stir gently before serving to help evenly distribute the dressing.
Make ahead and meal prep
This pasta salad recipe makes a great meal prep option, or can be made up to 24 hours before a potluck or party!
Swaps and Substitutions
Protein pasta salad: Use protein pasta (like Banza) in place of regular rotini pasta. Feel free to add extra pepperoni (or turkey pepperoni) to add even more protein.
Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and check to ensure the pepperoni you choose is free from added wheat ingredients and is labeled as gluten-free.
Greek pasta salad: This recipe can easily be Greek-ified by swapping the mozzarella for crumbled feta cheese, the pepperoni for your favorite cured meat (or cooked and seasoned chicken), and using kalamata or green Greek olives.
More Salad Recipes:
If you loved this recipe for Pizza Pasta Salad let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Pizza Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (227g) rotini or fusilli pasta or medium-cut pasta of choice (or Banza pasta*)
- 3.5 ounces (100g) mini pepperoni quartered (about ¾ cup)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered (about ¾ of a pint)
- 1 small green bell pepper seeded and diced
- ½ red onion diced
- 8 ounces (227g) boccocini cheese** drained and quartered (also known as fresh mozzarella pearls or mini mozzarella balls)
- ⅓ cup sliced black olives or kalamata olives
- ⅓ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes oil drained off
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pizza Vinaigrette:
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 2-3 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste if needed
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Once a boil is reached, salt the water and add the pasta. Cook according to the package directions, or until al dente. Immediately drain the pasta and run cold water over it for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to help cool it.
- Assemble the Salad. Add the cooked and cooled pasta to a large salad bowl, along with the pepperoni, cherry tomatoes, green bell pepper, mini mozzarella balls, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese. Toss well to combine.
- Prepare the dressing. Add the olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and black pepper to a small glass jar or mini blender. Use a mini frother (or small blender/food processor) to mix the dressing until emulsified.
- Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad, and toss until everything is evenly coated in the vinaigrette. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and other ingredients to your liking.
- Serve and enjoy! For the best results, cover the bowl and chill the salad for 30-60 minutes before serving. This recipe can be made ahead up to 24 hours in advance.
Notes
Nutrition
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Dorothy Bigelow says
This is so tasty and just like pizza – only way more filling, easy to make, and packed with veggies. It lasts for days in the fridge too, and we love to take it for lunches.