Ingredient Notes:
Pasta – We like the tri-color pasta here, but it tastes just the same as any other pasta. Use any small shape you have, such as penne, rotini, or macaroni.
Onion – We like to use diced red onion in this salad. Don’t love the strong flavor? Soak your diced onion in ice water for 10 minutes and then drain.
Olives – Green olives and black olives, or whichever kind you prefer!
Cheddar Cheese – Cubed cheddar cheese is a great addition to this pasta salad! It adds flavor and texture.
Pepperoni – We cut pepperoni slices into quarters but you could also use the tiny pepperoni slices instead, or even use something else like cubed salami, as seen in our Italian pasta salad.
Italian Dressing – Use your favorite brand or make your own homemade Italian dressing! Be sure to use one that is tangy and big on flavor.
Seasoning – We like to add some Salad Supreme Seasoning to this pasta salad, which is a blend of spices and seasonings that goes great with a cold Italian pasta salad recipe. This is a great way to add big favor to your salad and it’s good on roasted veggies and green salads too!
What We Love About This Recipe!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: We love simple, easy recipes! But we also want them to taste amazing, and this recipe manages to do both.
Variations:
There all kinds of ways you can modify this easy pasta salad recipe to make it your own! Here are some good ways to change things up:
Pasta: You can use any variety of shaped pasta when making this salad.
Cheese: As with the pasta you can pretty much use any cheese. We like cubed cheese but shredded also works.
Veggies: This is where you can really customize this recipe. Pretty much any veggie you like is okay to use. Tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, celery, broccoli, peas, and more are all possible options.
Protein: We like the flavor of the pepperoni with the Italian dressing but other proteins can work here too. Ham, bacon, hard boiled eggs, chicken, and more are okay to use in this salad.
How to Make Pasta Salad:
Pasta: Boil your pasta according to package directions and then run it under cold water to cool it down.
Mix: Add everything to large mixing bowl and give it a big stir. Refrigerate for at least an hour so the flavors can meld and the pasta salad is good and cold. Taste and add additional seasoning before serving.
Storage Instructions:
You’ll want to keep this pasta salad stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for about 3 to 4 days and can be served cold right from the fridge.
Ingredients
▢16 ounces tri-color rotini
▢5 ounces sliced green olives drained
▢2.25 ounces sliced black olives drained
▢1 small red onion diced
▢8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cubed
▢3.5 ounces pepperoni slices quartered
▢3/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing more as needed
▢2 tablespoons Salad Supreme seasoning more to taste
▢1 teaspoon kosher salt.
Instructions
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
Drain pasta and run under cold water until the pasta is cool to the touch.
Add everything to a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour.
When ready to serve, stir the salad and taste. Add additional salad dressing and season with additional Salad Supreme or salt to reach your desired taste.
Tips & Notes:
Pasta: We like the tri-color rotini pasta, but any small shape of pasta will work fine. We’re finding that pasta is often coming in 14 ounce boxes these days. That will work just fine in this recipe with no adjustments needed.
Mix-Ins: Feel free to add or omit things you don’t like. We love the combo of olives and red onion in this salad, but if you have picky eaters you can adjust. Package sizing is shrinking pretty often these days, using more or less of any mix-in will work fine. This recipe is hard to mess up. Just taste at the end and season with additional dressing or salt to suit your tastes.
Seasoning: We’re using Salad Supreme seasoning, which is delicious on pasta salads, green salads, and even roasted vegetables. It’s a tasty blend and we highly recommend trying it out.
Dressing: Use a vinegar based Italian dressing, not a creamy Italian dressing here. We like Kraft Italian dressing but any bottled vinaigrette type dressing will work well.
Vinegar: If your salad tastes like it’s missing something, it’s usually an acid. A splash of white vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice will brighten up the flavors and make it pop. We use a zesty Italian dressing that has a little zip to it, but if you’re using a more mellow dressing, adding that splash of acid really helps.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 330kcal (17%)| Carbohydrates: 37g (12%)| Protein: 11g (22%)| Fat: 14g (22%)| Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g| Monounsaturated Fat: 5g| Trans Fat: 0.2g| Cholesterol: 28mg (9%)| Sodium: 2.295mg| Potassium: 146mg (4%)| Fiber: 2g (8%)| Sugar: 2g (2%)| Vitamin A: 259IU (5%)| Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)| Calcium: 155mg (16%)| Iron: 1mg (6%)
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