Looking for a crowd-pleasing pasta salad recipe that everyone will love? You've come to the right place! Plus, this simple recipe comes with a homemade pasta salad dressing that makes the dish impossible to resist.
How to Make Pasta Salad With Homemade Dressing
You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's what you can expect when you make this top-rated pasta salad with dressing recipe:
Make Pasta Salad
Boil rotini in lightly salted water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, then drain again. Transfer the cooked pasta to a large bowl. Toss with pepperoni, provolone cheese, red onion, cucumber, bell peppers, olives, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.
Make Pasta Salad Dressing
Mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, ground mustard, salt, and pepper in a jar with a lid. Tightly seal the jar, then shake until combined.
Combine and Chill
Pour the dressing into the bowl with the pasta salad. Toss until well-combined. You can serve immediately, but we recommend allowing the pasta salad to chill in the fridge for about eight hours before serving. This will give the flavors time to meld.
What Goes With Pasta Salad?
Pasta salad is typically served as a side dish, especially at potlucks and picnics. In need of a little entree inspiration? Browse a few of these mouthwatering recipe collections:
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How Long Does Pasta Salad With Homemade Dressing Last In the Fridge?
Since this pasta salad dressing is oil-based, it'll keep a little longer than its dairy-based counterparts. Store pasta salad with dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. It's best served cold, so you won't need to reheat it — just take it straight out of the fridge and enjoy!
Can You Freeze Pasta Salad?
We don't always recommend freezing cooked pasta because too-soft pasta will not hold up well in the freezer. However, if you make sure your pasta is al dente, it should be fine.
To freeze pasta salad with dressing, simply transfer it to a freezer-safe container (or multiple zip-top bags wrapped in storage wrap and foil, if you don't plan to thaw the whole batch at once). Label with the date and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
"This is so delicious," raves massmom5. "Absolutely the best pasta salad I've ever eaten! I followed another reviewer's advice and quartered sliced pepperoni and used slices of provolone that I cut into strips. I took it to a 4th of July picnic today and I got so many compliments."
"I made this recipe solely for the dressing," says Rebecca. "It's a lovely red wine vinegar dressing. I use it with cold cooked pasta and tuna. Very tasty!"
"I loved the dressing!" commented home cook Judi Carpenter Craven. "I made my own salad mixture but wanted a homemade dressing and this one hit the spot. I will use again for sure!"
Editorial contributions by Corey Williams
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
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1 (8 ounce) package uncooked tri-color rotini pasta
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6 ounces pepperoni sausage, diced
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6 ounces provolone cheese, cubed
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1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces
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1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
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¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
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¾ cup chopped red bell pepper
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1 (6 ounce) can pitted black olives, drained
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¼ cup minced fresh parsley
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¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salad Dressing:
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½ cup olive oil
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¼ cup red wine vinegar
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1 teaspoon dried basil
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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½ teaspoon ground mustard seed
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¼ teaspoon salt
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⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
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Gather all ingredients.
![Overhead of pasta salad ingredients in various bowls and containers.]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini and cook until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
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Transfer drained, cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add pepperoni, provolone cheese, red onion, cucumber, bell peppers, olives, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.
![Overhead of unmixed pasta salad ingredients in a glass bowl.]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, ground mustard, salt, and pepper for dressing in a jar with a lid. Seal the jar, and shake until well combined.
![Overhead of pasta salad dressing ingredients in various bowls and cups.]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
![Pasta salad dressing sitting in a mason jar.]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Pour dressing over the pasta salad; toss until well coated. Serve immediately, or cover and chill in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours before serving.
![overhead view of Pasta Salad with homemade dressing served in a large bowl]()
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 443 | Calories |
| 32g | Fat |
| 25g | Carbs |
| 16g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
| Calories 443 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 32g | 41% |
| Saturated Fat 10g | 48% |
| Cholesterol 39mg | 13% |
| Sodium 836mg | 36% |
| Total Carbohydrate 25g | 9% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 14% |
| Total Sugars 3g | |
| Protein 16g | 32% |
| Vitamin C 35mg | 38% |
| Calcium 242mg | 19% |
| Iron 3mg | 14% |
| Potassium 259mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
