Pizza Pasta Salad

Pizza Pasta Salad combines all your favorite pizza toppings with noodles and a zesty Italian dressing. This cold pasta salad is a great choice for summer picnics, back-to-school lunches, or potluck dinners. 

Jump to:

• Pizza Pasta Salad Recipe
• Why You'll Love Pizza and Pasta
• Main Ingredients
• How to Make Pizza Pasta Salad
• What to Serve with Pizza Salad
• Storage Recommendations
• Tips and Tricks
• FAQs
• More Cold Pasta Salads
• Recipe

Pizza Pasta Salad Recipe

My husband usually chooses what's for dinner because he makes savory food in our home, while I stick to dessert. One of his specialties is homemade pizza dough, which we use every weekend for pizza nights!

This week, I was motivated to make dinner. We had leftover toppings, so I used them to change up our usual veggie pasta salad. It was the perfect side dish to serve with the rotisserie chicken I purchased from Sam's Club. Finding that balance is key, isn't it?

This pizza pasta salad recipe is ready in minutes and can be custom-made to your taste. We use our favorite toppings with the pasta, but you can adjust it to your preferences. It's perfect for any season, so we make it all year long!

Why You'll Love Pizza and Pasta

• No oven required: When it's too hot to turn on the oven, this pasta salad gives you pizza vibes without breaking a sweat.
• Easy to customize: Just like pizza, you can make this salad with your favorite pizza toppings. Try meat lovers or veggie-packed version
• Great for gatherings: It's easy to prepare in large amounts, so it's ideal for parties, picnics, and family events.
• Can be made ahead: You can make pasta salad in advance. It tastes better after sitting for a while, allowing the flavors to mix together.

Main Ingredients

• Pasta: We love farfalle pasta, but you can use any medium noodle, such as penne, shells, rotini, or Gemelli.
• Fresh Veggies: We choose grape tomatoes, green bell pepper, red onion, and black olives as toppings.
• Pepperoni: Mini pepperonis are great for salads. You can also use regular-size slices and cut them into smaller pieces.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Cut one block of cheese into small cubes. A package of mozzarella pearls is also a great choice.
• Dressing: Save time by using store-bought Italian dressing or making your own favorite homemade version.

How to Make Pizza Pasta Salad

This pizza pasta salad recipe is easy to make in minutes. I put everything our kids like on pizza with the pasta, but you can adjust that based on your tastes.

1. Boil the noodles in a large pot according to the package directions, then drain and rinse.
2. While the noodles are cooking, cut the tomatoes in half and dice the peppers and onions. Then, cut the block of mozzarella cheese into small bite-sized cubes.
3. Stir together the noodles, veggies, cheese cubes, mini pepperoni, and salad dressing.  
4. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if you like.

What to Serve with Pizza Salad

During the summer months, we often enjoy pepperoni pasta salad with hot dogs, hamburgers, pork chops, or grilled chicken. I adjust the ingredients depending on the main dish. Here are other meal options.

• Shrimp Burgers
• Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
• Parmesan Chicken Tenders
• Meatball Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Storage Recommendations

Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 4-5 days. The noodles will absorb the dressing, so add a little more before serving again.

Tips and Tricks

• To remove the starch from the cooked noodles, rinse them in cold water before adding the vegetables.
• Let the noodles drain well in a colander for a few minutes to avoid a watery dressing.
• Try other toppings such as banana peppers, cooked sausage, salami, red bell peppers, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, or green onions.
• Sprinkle the dish with some red pepper flakes to give it some heat.
• Let the pasta chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours for the best flavor.
• To increase the Italian flavor, stir in ½ teaspoon of dried oregano, garlic powder, or basil.
• To serve this as a main meal, add a protein. Chicken, crumbled sausage, or Canadian bacon are all great options.

FAQs

More Cold Pasta Salads

• Easy Macaroni Salad
•  Veggie Pasta Salad
• Broccoli Tortellini Salad
• Southwest Avocado Ranch Pasta Salad

Do you love a recipe you tried from Inside BruCrew Life? 

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This post was first published in August 2013. The photos were updated in May 2019, then the post was republished in August 2024.