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.
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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.
- Boil the noodles in a large pot according to the package directions, then drain and rinse.
- 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.
- Stir together the noodles, veggies, cheese cubes, mini pepperoni, and salad dressing.
- 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
Absolutely! Making it a few hours or a day ahead is even better so the flavors can come together.
Short shapes like penne, bowtie, or rotini pasta work great because they hold onto the dressing and toppings well.
If the salad seems dry after sitting in the fridge, toss it with extra dressing before serving.
More Cold Pasta Salads
- Easy Macaroni Salad
- Veggie Pasta Salad
- Broccoli Tortellini Salad
- Southwest Avocado Ranch Pasta Salad
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Recipe
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.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces bow tie pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounce block mozzarella cheese, cubed
- 5 ounce bag pepperoni minis
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 1 - 2.25 can sliced black olives
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 cup Italian salad dressing*
- salt and pepper, to taste
- parmesan cheese, when serving
Instructions
- Boil the noodles, drain them, and cool them according to the package directions.
- Place everything in a large bowl and stir.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese right before serving, if desired.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 284Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 646mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 11g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
This post was first published in August 2013. The photos were updated in May 2019, then the post was republished in August 2024.
Katerina @ diethood .com
This sounds incredibly delicious!! YUM!!
Tanya Schroeder
Two of my favorites things in one bowl!
Bee
My kiddos love pasta salad! Thanks for sharing this recipe! It has become a family favorite. We really love to take it camping. : )
Glenda
Very nice blog post. I definitely love this website.
Keep writing!
claire @ the realistic nutritionist
This salad is PERFECT for Labor Day!
capturing joy with kristen duke
YUM! This sounds so relish!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Kristen!! 😉
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
My husband is the same way, minus the cooking part 🙂 He is all about salty snacks, and skips dessert. Plus the man can go without snacking for days! Not sure what is wrong with him.
Love the pasta salad though, great idea of pizza flavor without the full pizza!
Jocelyn Brubaker
I don't know how these crazy guys of ours don't love desserts the way we do! 😉 Pure craziness!! Thanks Erin!! 😉
cquek
Wow, this combo is killer
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much!! It really was delicious!! 😉
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain
I love pizza, I love pasta, I even love salad heehee! This is a triple threat of awesomeness, Jocelyn! 😀
Carla
Love this pizza twist on pasta salad. I already know this will be a hit when I make it.
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much Carla!! It was seriously so good!! 😉
Nutmeg Nanny
What a fun and delicious twist on a summer favorite 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks so much!! 😉 It's a great way to take 'Pizza" to a picnic!
Jiro Han
Yay – I’m super hungry here too! As always, thank you for sharing the recipe. If I have free time, I always go to your blog and some of the recipes here. This is next!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Awww, thanks so much Jiro!! Let me know what you think of this if you make it!! You're totally welcome for the recipe! 😉
Chels R.
How much is that! It looks so fresh and delightful! And olives??? I could eat a can of olives straight up and I love adding them to salads. This looks fantastic!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha, thanks Chels!! 😉
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner
I love pizza so this is an awesome idea! Looks delish. 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Tina!! This pasta really does taste like pizza, so you would love this!! 😉
Tieghan
Mmm!! Pizza pasta? Yum! Everyone in my house would love this and that is an awesome thing!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Tieghan!! That is great that everyone in your fam would love this! Sometimes it's hard to please everyone in a family! 😉
Lisa @ Wine & Glue
This looks great Jocelyn! I definitely love a dinner that is just sitting and waiting for me! It's so perfect! And I am super jealous that you are married to a man who cooks dinner!! Pinning this!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Lisa!! Yes, my hubby is a pretty special guy in so many ways!! 😉
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
Pasta salads can definitely make dinner a lot easier! So quick and easy! Looks great!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Yes they do! Thanks Nancy!! 😉
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
Look at you, making dinner! Love this salad, totally putting it on our menu. I know my family will devour this!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha, I know!! 😉 I'm glad you like it!
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl
I love make-ahead meals! We make a lot of pasta salad, especially in the summer. This pizza version sounds awesome!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Ashley!! Pasta salad is great because so many different things can be added! 😉
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
I love pasta salad - especially because it can be made ahead!! This is fabulous! Now just send your husband to my house please. 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
That's one of the things I love about it too!! Thanks Dorothy!! 🙂