This pizza pasta salad gives you all the flavor you crave in a supreme pizza, but without adding any heat to your kitchen in warmer weather. With fresh veggies, savory pepperoni, and tender pasta coated in a tasty tomato vinaigrette it makes a perfect light lunch or Summer dinner everyone will love that’s loaded with flavor in every bite.

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You know what doesn’t take a lot of time to whip up when you happen to be running short on it? Pasta salad.

And when you’re trying to get it all together to throw a suitable meal on the table for your family when you’re under the gun? It can be an all-in-one lifesaver of a meal.

It’s so versatile, it can be as light or as hearty as your imagination (and your fridge and pantry shelves) allow.

A light but filling Summer meal, this pasta salad features all the flavors you love on a classic pizza without the oven heating up your kitchen. It’s a delicious option for lunch or a light dinner.

It’s simplicity makes it a great go-to for busy nights when you’re short on time, but don’t want a meal that’s running short on flavor. And my favorite part? No delivery fee!

Ingredients Needed

This easy pasta recipe use easy ingredients that you’ll either have on a hand or can easily find at any local grocery store.

To make it you’ll need ingredients for the pasta salad itself and the dressing, so I’ll break them down into two separate lists.

For The Salad

You’ll need:

Pasta – I recommend using rotini pasta since it’s crevices allow it to really hold in the dressing in each bite. If you don’t have rotini you can use another short pasta shape in it’s place.
Tomatoes – Ripe cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise, work best in this dish.
Onion – Red onion for the best flavor, peeled and diced, or thinly sliced.
Peppers – Diced green bell peppers
Pepperoni – I use full size pizza pepperoni slices that’ve been quartered, but you can use mini pepperoni if you prefer and leave them whole. You could also get chunks of pepperoni and dice them.
Cheese – Fresh mozzarella pearls with their creamy texture are the best to use here, and can usually be found somewhere in the deli section of your grocery store; however, if you prefer you can use a block of mozzarella and cube it.
Basil – Fresh basil leaves are a must for the best flavor. Also for the prettiest presentation I recommend to chiffonade them.
Olives – Sliced, canned black olives- drained

For The Dressing

You’ll need:

Seasonings – A blend of garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper round out the seasoning blend for this pasta.
Oil – Use olive oil and a quality one at that. I recommend using extra virgin specifically.
Tomato Paste – Specifically a ‘concentrated’ tomato paste. The kind I use doesn’t come from a can, but a tube.
Vinegar – Red wine vinegar

Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients you’re ready to begin!

How To Make

Making this saucy pasta salad is surprisingly simple with a little prep work.

Start by cooking the pasta according to the instructions indicated on the package.

As soon as the pasta’s cooked to al dente, pour it into a strainer, and immediately run it under cold water to stop the cooking process until it’s cool to the touch. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.

Add the prepared vegetables, pepperoni, cheese, and basil to the dish. Then gently toss everything together until evenly combined. Set the bowl aside.

In a smaller mixing bowl add all of the dressing ingredients and then whisk them together briskly until evenly combined and smooth.

Pour the dressing evenly out over the pasta salad then stir gently again until everything’s evenly mixed and well coated.

Taste again for flavor, and adjust any seasonings as needed.

Cover the mixing bowl and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving. When ready to serve, gently toss again beforehand then enjoy!

Storing

Leftover pizza pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. However as it sits the pasta will continue to soak up the sauce, so I recommend enjoying it within 3 days.

Unfortunately this pasta recipe does not freeze well.

TIPS & TRICKS

While any short pasta shape will do, I highly recommend using rotini pasta as it’s crevices will really allow the dressing to cling to it for maximum flavor in every bite.
The majority of the pizza flavor from the dressing is going to be based on the tomato paste you use. While you can use whatever you have available I recommend using a quality, concentrated paste like this one here.
Mozzarella pearls are sold in a small ball like shape and tend to come stuck together. Before adding them to the mixing bowl, you’ll need to gently break them apart so that they can be evenly mixed in.
This pasta salad is easy to double, or triple, to feed a larger crowd.
Just like with pizza you can pick and choose your toppings here too. Add in as many, or as few, appeal to you and feel free to get creative with some additions of your own.

Other Flavorful Pasta Salad Recipes

This pizza pasta salad is a perfect lunch, side dish, or supper for hot weather. All the flavor you’re craving from a delicious supreme pizza, but without any added heat in your kitchen.

Try it and discover what all the fuss it about!

Looking for other flavorful pasta salad recipes to enjoy?

Try one of these:

If you’ve tried this PIZZA PASTA SALAD, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!