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Pizza Pasta Salad

Pizza salad with pepperoni pasta, melted-style mozzarella, and classic Italian dressing. This kid-friendly party salad layers pizza flavors—pepperoni, olives, peppers, and tomatoes—then chills until perfectly scoopable.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pizza pasta salad base
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
  • 2 cup pepperoni slices Halve the pepperoni slices before mixing.
  • 2 cup mozzarella cheese Cube the mozzarella so it disperses through the warm pasta.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halve the tomatoes.
  • 1 cup green bell pepper Dice the bell pepper into bite-size pieces.
  • 0.5 cup black olives Slice the olives.
  • 0.5 cup red onion Dice the onion.
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese Grate fresh if possible.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse under cold water until chilled.
  2. Transfer the drained pasta to a large bowl and spread it out slightly so it cools evenly before mixing.
Mix in pizza toppings
  1. Add the pepperoni slices, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, green bell pepper, black olives, and red onion to the bowl with the pasta.
  2. Pour in the Italian dressing and sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
  3. Toss until everything is well coated and the mozzarella is evenly distributed through the pasta.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours to let the flavors meld and firm up for serving.
  2. Toss again, then serve chilled.

Notes

For the best texture, rinse the pasta until truly cool so it doesn’t over-soften while chilling. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; the flavors deepen overnight. Freezing isn’t recommended because the vegetables and mozzarella can change texture. For a lighter option, use low-fat mozzarella and a reduced-sodium Italian dressing.