This crowd-pleasing Pizza Pasta Salad is loaded with pepperoni, tomatoes, cheese, and more, all tossed in zesty Italian dressing. It’s everything you love about pizza served up as a fun, flavorful salad!
You just can’t beat a good pasta salad, and this one’s a favorite around here. It’s loaded with colorful spiral pasta and classic pizza toppings like pepperoni, mozzarella, olives, tomatoes, bell pepper, and, of course, plenty of cheese! It’s the perfect dish for laid-back summer gatherings.
When I’m in the mood for a green salad with Italian flair, I go for my Simple Italian Salad or Italian Chopped Salad. But when it comes to summer entertaining, this Pizza Pasta Salad is such a great choice.
It’s always a hit with both kids and adults, making it a great choice for potlucks, BBQs, and picnics. The fact that it’s super easy and can be made in advance are just a couple of added bonuses!
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: My top choice for this recipe is Wacky Mac. It’s a tri-color spiral pasta enriched with spinach, tomato, beets and the vibrant colors make this a standout dish.
- Pepperoni: Look for bags of sliced pepperoni in the deli meat section of the store.
- Tomatoes: Either grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes will work.
- Peppers: We love the flavor of green bell pepper on our pizza and in this salad. If you’re not a fan, substitute milder red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, or leave it out altogether.
- Olives: Pitted medium black olives are the perfect size for salad and add a nice color contrast with the other ingredients. You can use green olives instead if you’d like.
- Cheese: Cubed mozzarella cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Salad dressing: Either store-bought or Homemade Italian Dressing works perfectly.
How to Make Pizza Pasta Salad
- Cook the according to package directions. Rinse it with cold water until cooled and then drain well.
- Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl and toss it with about half of the dressing.
- Add the remaining ingredients.
- Toss the salad with as much additional dressing as you’d like. It’s best served chilled, so cover and refrigerate it for one to two hours before serving.
Variations
Protein Swap: If you’re looking to swap out the pepperoni for a different protein, try adding grilled chicken, Italian sausage, or even cubed salami for a tasty twist. You can also keep it vegetarian and add another type of cheese, like provolone.
Swap the Pasta: Use can use a different type of pasta, to suit your taste. Try fussili, rotini, penne, or bowtie, or opt for gluten-free pasta if needed.
More Veggies: Add red onion, mushrooms, cucumber, artichoke hearts, or tangy pepperoncini to bulk up the vegetables.
Make it Spicy: If you like a bit of heat, try adding some spicy pepperoni or add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the dressing.
Salad Dressing Ideas: This salad is delicious with a variety of different dressings. Try it with store-bought or homemade Caesar, balsamic vinaigrette, apple cider vinaigrette, or even creamy buttermilk Ranch dressing.
Make-Ahead Tips and Storage
Pizza Pasta Salad can be assembled up to 8 hours in advance. Just cover it and place it in the fridge until you ready to serve. For the best quality, I recommend serving it the same day it is made. If the pasta absorbs too much of the dressing, just add an extra drizzle, toss it, and it will be perfect.
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Perfect for a picnic or take to work lunch!
More Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Avocado Pasta Salad
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Tortellini Broccoli Salad
- Orzo Salad with Spinach, and Feta
- Italian Tortellini Salad
- Browse my entire collection of salad recipes for more ideas!
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Pizza Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces tri-color spiral pasta, (like Wacky Mac) or another short dry pasta
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 ounces pitted black olives, drained (half of a 6 ounce can)
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup Italian salad dressing, (homemade or store-bought) or as needed
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until cooked pasta is completely cooled. Allow to drain well while preparing other ingredients.
- Transfer cooled pasta to a serving dish. Add mozzarella, pepperoni, bell pepper, and olives and toss to combine. Add dressing to your liking and toss again to distribute throughout.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least one to two hours or for up to 8 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Easy Salad Recipes
This post was originally published on July 2, 2014. It has been updated with new text and images.
Valerie, this looks great, albeit I’d leave out the olives, not a big fan, but you cracked me up with your “olive claws”.
I dig your quirky sense of humor at least as much as your recipes, thanks for the laughs!
I’m still tempted every time I open a can 🙂 Thanks, RL.
Great recipe.
Pizza pasta salad! I know my kids will love this. Especially when the pasta is so colorful… 🙂
I’ll take 2 big bowls for me & hubby, please. 😉 Okay…not now, but in a few weeks!
Deal! Pasta of any kind is worth waiting for 🙂
We always had a relish tray for Easter and Thanksgiving…and the black olives were the first to go! Love your pasta salad…it would also disappear quickly!
Your Pizza Pasta Salad looks so delish! Thanks for the recipe.
Pinned.
Thanks for stopping by, Meegan!
Now this is two of my favorite things… PIZZA & PASTA! Why haven’t I made this before? Thanks for the recipe, pinning and can’t wait to devour a bowl of this!
Thanks, Amy!
I love pizza. I love pasta. I love salad. Sure, they`re not really correlated in any way when it comes to this dish’s name…but I`m in love with this!!
Perfect for the 4th of July! I’m thinking I’m going to bring this one to our family get together. And yes, totally still tempted to put olives on my fingertips. It’s good to feel like a kid now and then!
Hi Julie! It’s good to know I’m not alone 🙂 Happy 4th!