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Home > Recipes > Sides

Gluten-Free Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

Published: July 26, 2022 • This post may contain affiliate links.

gluten-free

Italian Pasta Salad is a bright and colorful combination of sweet peppers, onions, salami, tomatoes, and tri-color rotini tossed in a zesty Italian dressing. No summer potluck is complete without a great pasta salad- and this one fits the bill!

Italian Pasta Salad in a white bowl with a spoon.
Jump to:
  • Why you'll love this recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Make it gluten-free
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Add-ins
  • Make it ahead of time
  • Tips & tricks
  • Recommended tools
  • Storage
  • More potluck side dishes
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Why you'll love this recipe

This classic Italian Pasta Salad is by far one of the best summer salads. It's light, flavorful, and pairs with almost any dish. And it's just so simple to make! Toss cooked pasta and your choice of fresh ingredients with a bottle of Italian dressing for a crowd-pleasing favorite.

I love bringing this bright and bold pasta salad to potlucks, picnics, and family gatherings. This is one recipe that you'll be making over and over again!

Ingredients

Every Italian Pasta recipe I've come across seems to have a wide variety of ingredients. Sometimes I like to switch up the colors and textures, but here are the ingredients I usually use for mine:

  • Rotini noodles- regular or tri-color
  • Italian dressing, store-bought or homemade
  • Grape tomatoes
  • Red pepper
  • Yellow pepper
  • Red onion
  • Salami
  • Parmesan
  • Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper

There are so many variations so be sure to check out the list of additional add-ins below!

Ingredients that are needed to make pasta salad with italian dressing: noodles, italian dressing, tomatoes, red and yellow pepper, onion, salami, parmesan, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Make it gluten-free

To make this zesty pasta salad gluten-free and just as delicious, try using gluten-free elbow rotini such as this! You will also want to double-check the ingredient labels for the Italian dressing and salami.

Step-by-step instructions

Begin this recipe by cooking the rotini noodles (regular or tri-color) according to the package directions. This should be around 9 to 11 minutes.

Diced yellow peppers, sliced tomatoes, diced red pepper, and chopped red onion.

When the noodles are cooked al dente, drain and rinse them with cold water and set them aside. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat. Refrigerate this pasta salad for at least two hours before serving it for the best flavor!

Finished Italian Pasta Salad shown in a bowl with a brown spoon ready to serve.

Add-ins

This recipe is so versatile and has so many different add-in options!

Give some of these ingredients a try:

  • 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese pearls
  • ¾ cup pepperoncini
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ sliced black olives
  • ½ of a cucumber, sliced and quartered
  • ½ cup of pepperoni

Make this pasta salad your own!

Make it ahead of time

Yes, absolutely, YES! In fact, it tastes much better that way. Making this dish ahead of time allows all of the flavors to come together beautifully. However, the noodles may soak up quite a bit of the Italian dressing. To fix this, pour on a little more Italian dressing right before serving.

Tips & tricks

Use store-bought or homemade Italian dressing. This recipe takes only a few minutes to throw together and I like to keep it that way by using a store-bought dressing. Cheap, easy, and just what I need when I'm in a hurry! If you're looking for homemade Italian dressing, give this one a try!

Chill for a couple of hours before serving. For the best flavor, refrigerate this salad for at least two hours (overnight is even better!).

Recommended tools

  • Large Mixing Bowl. This set is perfect for all sorts of desserts!
  • Spatula or Wooden Spoon. I like using a wooden spoon to gently stir the mixture together.
Italian Pasta Salad with spoon, dusted with parmesan cheese.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store this pasta salad in the refrigerator for up to five days in an airtight container.

Freezer: Freezing this pasta salad is not recommended- it will make the fresh veggies soggy.

More potluck side dishes

  • Pea Salad
  • Pistachio Fluff Salad
  • Grape Snickers Salad
  • Seven-Layer Taco Dip

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Recipe

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
Italian Pasta Salad is a bright and colorful combination of peppers, onions, salami, tomatoes, and tri-color rotini tossed in a zesty Italian dressing. No summer potluck is complete without a great pasta salad- and this one fits the bill!
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Chill Time 2 hours hrs
Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 10 people
Calories 245 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 16 oz gluten free rotini or garden rotini
  • 1 ¼ c zesty Italian dressing*
  • ½ pint grape tomatoes sliced
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 1 yellow pepper diced
  • ½ red onion diced
  • 4 oz salami* quartered
  • ¼ c parmesan cheese
  • ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss to coat.
  • Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Notes

*Double check the ingredient list to make sure it's gluten free. 

Nutritional Information

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.1g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6.9g
Nutritional Disclaimer

The nutritional information provided is only an estimate. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.

Keyword BBQ, holiday, Party, quick & easy, vegetables
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Double or even triple this recipe for graduation parties, baby showers, BBQs, potlucks, family gatherings, Super Bowl parties, camping get togethers, and Labor Day or Memorial Day weekend parties.

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Hi, I'm Ashleigh and I'm passionate about creating healthy, flavorful dishes using fresh, seasonal ingredients.

As a recipe developer, food blogger, and avid cook, my goal is to inspire you to cook wholesome meals that are both simple and vibrant. Our recipes are designed to be accessible to all levels of home cooks and are so delicious that you'll want to make them again and again.

As an Iowa native, I love to incorporate local, in-season ingredients into my gluten-free recipes. So come join me on a culinary journey that celebrates the joys of food and a healthier lifestyle!

-xo

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