Description
This Pepperoni Pasta Salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish perfect for picnics or summer gatherings. It’s loaded with rotini pasta, mini pepperoni slices, cherry tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and more, all tossed in a flavorful Italian dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 ounces rotini or penne pasta
- 1 cup mini pepperoni slices
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup diced cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
Dressing and Seasonings:
- 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Boil pasta per package instructions, then rinse under cold water and place in a large bowl.
- Prepare Salad: Add pepperoni, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, olives, green pepper, and red onion to the bowl.
- Add Dressing: Pour Italian dressing over the salad, sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Combine: Toss everything together until well coated. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Chill: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to meld flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with parsley before serving chilled.
Notes
- Add diced cucumbers or banana peppers for extra crunch.
- Use homemade Italian dressing for a fresher taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 740mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
