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Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad (+Video)

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta salad is a quick and easy pasta salad that packs a lot of flavor. Pasta, pepperoni, mozzarella and Italian dressing!

AN EASY, FUN PASTA SALAD RECIPE

This summer I’ve been craving cold pasta salads but I haven’t wanted the same ole salads. Something to change up the usual cold pasta salad routine. This Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad was incredibly tasty, easy to make and there are a lot of possibilities with this one! It combines flavors from savory pizza with the tanginess of pasta salad with Italian dressing and crafts a delicious pasta salad dish.

A large white bowl full of Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I add other vegetables to this?

Absolutely! Just use whatever you think would work with the pizza flavors. Bell peppers (green red or yellow), sliced olives and red onions would work nicely in this!

What’s the best Italian dressing to use?

Just use your favorite bottled dressing. You want one with a good punch of flavor. You could even make your own homemade Italian dressing!
For a slightly more creamy dressing, try using Olive Garden’s Italian dressing.

Can I use a different pasta?

Absolutely! You can use any pasta shape that you want. Just make sure it is 16 ounces (1 pound). Penne, rotini, bow tie, shell or even spaghetti work well with this.

Can I just use preshredded cheese?

One thing I have found is freshly shredded parmesan seems to work best here since it blends better than the store bought shredded bags of cheese, but of course, you can use whatever is easiest. 

Where do you find pepperoni sticks in the store?

You can usually find these sticks of pepperoni near the bags of sliced pepperoni. If not, you can get a 1/2 pound block of pepperoni from the deli counter at your grocery store.

Do I have to wait that long for it to chill?

I know it seems like forever to wait for it to chill and mix the flavors, but it’s totally worth it. Don’t skip that step. The flavors really set up as it hangs out for a couple of hours in the fridge. It makes all the difference! 

What herbs and spices could I add?

If you want to “up” the Italian flavor, you can always add additional Italian spices to this: 1/2 teaspoon each of dried Oregano, Basil, Red Pepper flakes, Garlic Powder and Salt and Pepper (to taste).

How do I store leftovers?

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad needs to be covered and kept stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing.

Close up looking at a serving bowl of Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • rotini pasta– other types can be used, check out the FAQ section for more ideas
  • pepperoni– I used a pepperoni stick and then sliced it up, but you could use pepperoni slices
  • mozzarella cheese– mozzarella cheese balls are also an option if you don’t want to use the block of mozzarella cheese and dice it up
  • Italian dressing
  • tomatoes- grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes are optimal, but you could also chop up a beefsteak tomato
  • freshly shredded parmesan cheese
A mozzarella cheese block, cherry tomatoes, Italian dressing, Rotini pasta, and fresh grated parmesan cheese.

HOW TO MAKE PEPPERONI PIZZA PASTA SALAD:

In a large stock pot of boiling water, cook your pasta until al dente (following the directions on the back or side of the box.) When finished cooking, drain and rinse pasta with cool water. Let it drain well, then add to a large lidded bowl.

A strainer with cooked Rotini and a bowl of cooked pasta.

Chop up all of the mozzarella and pepperoni into 1-inch cubes. And slice the grape tomatoes in half (I usually cut them lengthwise).

Add those to the cooled pasta.

A bowl of pasta, tomatoes, pepperoni and mozzarella and a bowl of pepperoni pasta salad all mixed up.

Pour the Italian dressing on top. You don’t have to use the whole bottle. This all comes down to taste. Give it all a good stir.

Next, if you are using, add your shredded Parmesan Cheese and give it another good stir.

Cover with plastic wrap or a fitted lid.

A bowl with pasta salad and grated parmesan cheese on top and a bowl of Pizza Pasta Pepperoni Salad covered with plastic wrap.

Then pop it into the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours. And serve!

A large serving bowl of Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Originally published: August 2012
Updated & republished: May 2019

Looking down on a bowl of Pepperoni PIzza Pasta Salad.

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad (+Video)

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta salad is a quick and easy pasta salad that packs a lot of flavor. Pasta, pepperoni, mozzarella and Italian dressing
5 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (16 ounce) box rotini pasta
  • 8 ounce package whole pepperoni
  • 8 ounce package mozzarella cheese
  • 16 ounce bottle of your favorite Italian dressing
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • In a large stock pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente (following the package directions).
    A strainer of cooked pasta.
  • When finished cooking, drain and rinse pasta with cool water. Let it drain well, then add to a large bowl.
    A bowl of cooked Rotini pasta.
  • Chop up all the mozzarella and pepperoni into 1-inch cubes. Add to cooled pasta in the bowl.
  • Slice the grape tomatoes in half (I usually cut them lengthwise) and add to the bowl.
    Cooked pasta, sliced tomatoes, pepperoni slices, and mozzarella pieces in a bowl.
  • Pour the Italian dressing on top (using as little or as much as you like). Give it all a good stir.
    Italian dressing, pasta, cheese, tomatoes, and pepperoni in a bowl.
  • Finally add shredded Parmesan Cheese and give it another good stir.
    Grated cheese on top of a pasta salad with pepperoni.
  • Cover with plastic wrap or a fitted lid. Then pop the bowl into the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours before serving.
    A finished Pepperoni Pasta Salad in a bowl.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 601kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 33g | Sodium: 1339mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Recipe Rating




16 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I have made this for years for my lunches because I did not want to do bread. You can take any fast food and take the bread away and sub it with veggie noddles and such, and just chop ingredients and mix as a salad, ground hamburger, cheddar cheese chunks, with noodles and your choice of dressing works well as well, tuna, celery, etc it is endless lunch ideas.

  2. 5 stars
    Made this today and it is absolutely divine! Great by itself or as a side dish and it couldn't be any easier. So glad I found you on Pinterest!

  3. 5 stars
    Thank you for posting this recipe! It is so easy and makes perfect leftovers for lunches and dinners! I didn't use pepperoni, and I had to use pepperjack cheese because I couldn't find the mozzarella block at the store. It turned out great! This is my current favorite dish 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    We have been making this pizza salad for years – love it! The idea is that anything you would put on a pizza would go well in here. We use all different colors/kinds of peppers, don't forget the mushrooms and olives and I never make this salad without red onions. Just a note….. if you plan to make this in advance the night before and maybe take it as a dish to pass at a picnic be sure to add the mushrooms the day of and as close to serving as possible – they turn dark brown and are fine however, they don't look to appealing 🙂 Yummy!

  5. 5 stars
    I'm not even wild about pasta dishes, but this looks absolutely mouth-watering. NICE! Thanks for sharing this simple dish. I'm sure my hubs would/will LOVE it!

  6. Oh, that looks yummy! I made a pizza pasta salad – more like a casserole to be served warm. I LOVE this idea of a cold pizza pasta salad!

    Cheers,
    Tracy