Italian Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
A complete pasta salad with salami, mozzarella and olives, enhanced with a creamy homemade Italian dressing.
This pasta salad is an explosion of Italian flavors, all tossed in a homemade dressing that beats anything from a bottle. Tomatoes, olives, and herbs bounce off the hearty noodles while the dressing ties it together. It is the dish that shows up at every picnic and always empties first.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 8 oz (225g) rotini pasta (or tricolor)
- 🫗 6 oz (170g) salami, cut into strips
- 🫗 10 oz (3 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 🫗 1/2 English cucumber, diced
- 🫗 1/2 medium red onion, diced
- 🫗 8 oz (225g) fresh mozzarella pearls (or balls cut in half)
- 🫗 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
- 🫗 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 🫗 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, roughly chopped
- 🫗 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 🫗 1 cup Italian dressing base
- 🫗 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 🫗 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 🫗 1/4 cup parmesan, finely grated
- 🫗 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 🫗 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 🫗 1 garlic clove, finely grated or pressed
- 🫗 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 🫗 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 🫗 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 🫗 3/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
- 🫗 1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
Cook the rotini pasta according to package instructions, drain and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the salami, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mozzarella, both types of olives, roasted peppers and parsley.
In a bowl, prepare the dressing by mixing all the indicated ingredients until a smooth emulsion forms.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to evenly coat all ingredients before serving.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Italian Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing
Video credit: embedded from YouTube. All rights belong to the original creator, who allows sharing on other websites.
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About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →