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A bowl of colorful pasta salad with rotini, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olives, mozzarella balls, salami, and bell peppers.

Easy Italian Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing

A hearty, classic Summer Pasta Salad made with rotini, salami, fresh veggies, and a bold homemade Italian dressing. Perfect for hot days when you don’t feel like cooking.
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Author: Michelle

Ingredients

For the Pasta Salad

  • 8 ounces (3 cups) dry Rotini pasta
  • 1 tablespoon coarse Kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups of cucumber diced into bite sized pieces
  • 1 pint (10 ounces) cherry Tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup Greek Olives, sliced in half
  • 1/2 cup of red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, diced into bite sized pieces
  • 8 ounces fresh Mozzarella pearls
  • 4 ounces (1 cup) of deli Salami, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 1 cup Italian Dressing (recipe follows)

Homemade Italian Dressing

  • 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup NOT pancake syrup
  • 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons of finely minced red onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, following package's instructions.
  • While the pasta cooks make the Italian dressing (skip this step if using storebought). add all the dressing ingredients to a mason jar with a lid and shake well to combine. Set aside.
  • Once the pasta is cooked, rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain the pasta well in a colander and prep the rest of the ingredients.
  • Once prepped, combine all the vegetables, mozzarella, and salami pieces into a large mixing bowl and add the cooked and drained pasta.
  • Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta and veggies and toss until everything is well coated. Note: If you're making this ahead, wait to add the dressing until about an hour before serving—otherwise the pasta will soak it all up and the salad may look dry.
  • Serve and enjoy, and refrigerate any leftovers up to 4 days.
Cuisine American, BBQ Sides, Pasta Salad, Salad, Side Dishes
Course Lunch/Dinner, Side Dish

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5Cups | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 1059mg | Potassium: 383mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 1mg