Italian Pasta Salad
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Feb 13, 2026 
I love to make my simple Italian pasta salad recipe when I need a fresh, crowd-pleasing side dish. I toss tender al dente pasta, fresh vegetables, and an herb-infused dressing together, to give every bite the perfect balance of flavor and texture. It’s easy to prepare and makes the perfect cold pasta salad for cookouts, potlucks, and summer dinners.
Why I Love My Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
I know many families have an Italian-style salad recipe that gets pulled out for picnics and large events. I’m partial to the ones that are heavily loaded with fresh veggies and pops of rich flavor from the salami, olives, and soft mozzarella. My personal adaptation is to add jarred “Grilled Piquillo Peppers” to offer a bit of tangy sweetness. If you can’t find them, jarred roasted red peppers provide a similar appeal. Therefore, this is what I consider the best Italian pasta salad recipe. It’s bold, textually diverse, and holds up well for several days in the refrigerator. Even though I’m partial to macaroni salad recipes, I’ve never tasted another version I like better.
Key Ingredients and Tips
The homemade Italian vinaigrette is made with a generous amount of fresh garlic, giving the entire bowl a zesty punch.
- Red Wine Vinegar – This adds a rich and full-flavored tangy note. However, fresh lemon juice can be swapped if needed.
- Olive Oil – When I’m using raw olive oil, I always buy good-quality cold pressed extra virgin oil.
- Garlic – Use fresh minced garlic, I find it’s worth the effort!
- Honey – To add sweetness to the dressing. You can also use agave or granulated sugar.
- Dried Italian Seasoning – This includes all the neccessary herbs for a bold Italian taste. PS, I have a homemade Italian seasoning recipe if you don’t have store-bought onhand.
The pasta salad ingredients are packed with fresh vegetables, savory meats, and cheeses!
- Fusilli Pasta – I love the corkscrew-shaped pasta, because the ridges hold on to the dressing. However, you can use any small pasta shape you like.
- Hard Salami – Smoky and sumptuous, it’s the perfect meaty addition to this salad. I like to cut it into thin strips that mimic the shape of the pasta.
- Roasted Red Peppers – Specifically, I use jarred grilled piquillo peppers, but basic roasted reds are great too!
- Black Olives – Pitted and sliced. This brings briny flavor to the salad.
- Fresh Veggies – I love to add red onion for sharpness and crunch, cherry tomatoes for sweetness, and Italian parsley for a pop of freshness.
- Mini Mozzarella Balls – Not only are these tiny cheese balls cute, they are also soft, fresh, and delicious!
How To Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Serving Suggestions
My best pasta salad is amazing to serve as a side dish in the summertime, when you can serve it with all your favorite grilled proteins and other hearty sides! I highly recommend taking this to your next cookout or gathering, since it is seriously great for feeding a crowd. Try serving it with some of my personal favorites:
- Best Potato Salad
- Grilled Vegetables Recipe
- Cucumber Onion Salad (with Dill)
- Zesty Italian Burgers
- Grilled Salmon
- Italian Sausage and Peppers
- Grilled Blackened Chicken
Expert Tips
- Add additional veggies – The beauty of pasta salad is that you can add different veggies and it will still be so delicious. Sometimes I like to add bell pepper, spinach, and fresh herbs like basil or rosemary.
- Protein swaps – Instead of salami, you can use chopped pepperoni, ham, or mortadella.
- Freshness matters – Make sure to use fresh mozzarella balls here. They are creamy and so delicious! If I can only find one large mozzarella ball or log, then I dice it up into bite-sized pieces.
- In a hurry? For ease, you can use your favorite store-bought Italian dressing. I prefer making mine homemade so I know exactly what’s in it, but it will still be delicious with premade dressing. You can also buy pre-chopped onions, sliced olives, and chopped roasted peppers to reduce prep time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you want to add cooled pasta to pasta salad. Instead of taking the time to allow it to cool down, simply rinse the pasta in a colander with cold water!
Absolutely! This recipe is a great make-ahead for parties, family events, or as an easy lunchbox item to enjoy all week. Actually, most pasta salads taste better after sitting for a day or two. Just make sure to cover it well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Oh yes. With all the meats, cheeses, and fresh produce in the mix, you do need to keep it chilled until you are ready to serve it.
Looking for More Pasta Salad Recipes?
Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dried Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Italian Pasta Salad:
- 1 pound fusilli pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup chopped hard salami slices
- 3/4 cup chopped grilled piquillo peppers or jarred roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 12 ounces mini mozzarella balls, drained and halved (22-24 balls)
- 3.8 ounces sliced black olives (1 can), drained
Instructions
- Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add a large spoonful of salt to the water. Then stir in the dried pasta. Cook according to package instructions, usually 6-8 minutes to al dente. Drain the pasta, and rinse with cold water in a colander. Shake off the excess water and place the pasta in a large salad bowl.
- While the pasta is boiling, whisk all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl. Set aside. Then chop all the salad ingredients.
- Pour the tomatoes, sliced hard salami, chopped piquillo peppers, red onion, parsley, mozzarella ball and olives over the pasta. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss well to coat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed.
It is the best Italian Pasta salad ! I do not normally comment on recipies, especially if I ended up substituting, but I had just gotten back from the grocery store when I saw this. Made it to go with hamburgers and it has a great flavor. We didn’t have cherry tomatoes, so I put in a little dried tomato. Used cheddar cheese and black olives as I didn’t have mozzarella balls or black olives. The flavor of the vinagrette was really outstanding and we will probably just use whatever we have on hand for the salad in the future
I made this and it was a big hit. Definitely best pasta salad recipe, ever
This was delicious! Made it for our Labor Day BBQ and it was a hit. I omitted the onions because people can be weird about them, added chickpeas and marinated artichoke hearts. Love the dressing and tastes even better the next day.
Thanks for sharing! will sure try this when i back at home!
This is a great recipe! Delicious! Just wondering if you can substitute fresh basil for the fresh parsely??
I made this last night and it was a big hit! Delicious. And yes, it was twice as good today. Next time, I’ll try to make the day ahead for sure. Thank you!