Pepperoni Pasta Salad
I created Pepperoni Pasta Salad on accident. I wanted to make my Creamy Italian Pasta Salad when my family came over last Sunday and I thought I had all the ingredients, but to my surprise I did not. I did not feel like running to Publix so I decided to make lemonade out of lemons and I made Pepperoni Pasta Salad. Let me tell you, I’m almost afraid to admit that it might be better than my Creamy Italian Pasta Salad. I even doctored up the dressing a bit to make it more like an Italian Grinder Sub Salad Dressing. So, A star is born! Pepperoni Pasta Salad might have a few less add in’s but it is not short on flavor and she might just my favorite pasta salad yet.
The best part? The Italian Radiatore pasta it not only matches the size of your chopped ingredients, but it grabs every bit of your dressing for the perfect bite. The creamy homemade dressing coats every piece perfectly while the extra drizzle of dressing on top gives it that fresh deli pasta salad feel.
If you love easy pasta salad recipes, make sure to also check out my Cowboy Spaghetti Pasta, BLT Pasta Salad, and Italian Pasta Salad.
Tips for the BEST Pepperoni Pasta Salad
- Don’t overcook the pasta.
Cook the pasta just until al dente so it holds up after chilling and doesn’t turn mushy once the dressing soaks in. - Chill it before serving.
This pasta salad gets even better after sitting in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours because the flavors really soak into the pasta and pepperoni. Overnight is even better. - Toss it again before serving.
After chilling, give everything another good mix. Pasta naturally absorbs dressing as it sits, so adding a little of the reserved dressing right before serving keeps it creamy and flavorful. - Cut everything close to the size of the pasta.
Keeping the pepperoni, artichokes, tomatoes, and mozzarella close in size to the pasta makes every bite balanced and easier to eat. - Make it ahead for parties.
This is the perfect make-ahead pasta salad for BBQs, holidays, beach days, and cookouts because it holds up beautifully in the refrigerator. - Garnish right before serving.
A little extra parsley, pecorino, pepperoncinis, and a tiny drizzle of the reserved dressing on top makes it look fresh and restaurant-style right before serving.
🤔 Common Questions
Yes! It actually tastes better after chilling for a few hours because the flavors soak into the pasta.
In this recipe I used the Italian Radiatore Pasta, it’s the perfect size and the ridges grab the dressing for the perfect bite. But, you can also use fusili, rotini, or large elbow noodles.
The pasta absorbs dressing while it chills, so the extra dressing helps freshen everything back up before serving.
Pepperoni Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 1 lb Italian Radiatore Pasta
- 6.5 ounces Boar’s Head pepperoni sliced, quartered
- 12- ounce jar marinated artichokes drained and chopped
- 1 cup mozzarella pearls
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Creamy Italian Dressing
- Important First whisk together everything for the dressing EXCEPT the mayonnaise.Then, in a separate bowl, mix ½ cup of the prepared dressing with 1 cup mayonnaise to create the creamy dressing for the pasta salad.Reserve the remaining dressing on the side for serving or for tossing into the pasta salad later if it needs more moisture after chilling.
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 tbsp pepperoncini brine
- 5 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 packet Italian dressing mix
- 1 cup mayonnaise
For Serving
- Extra pecorino cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley
- ¼ cup sliced pepperoncinis
- Small drizzle of extra dressing
Instructions
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the water, pepperoncini brine, pecorino romano, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and Italian dressing mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add 1 cup mayonnaise and whisk in ½ cup of the prepared dressing until smooth and creamy. Set the remaining dressing aside for later.
- Add the pasta, pepperoni, marinated artichokes, mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, and parsley to a large bowl.
- Pour the creamy dressing over the pasta salad and toss until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2–3 hours so the flavors can soak into the pasta.
- After chilling, toss again and add a little of the reserved dressing IF the pasta salad needs extra moisture.
- Top with extra pecorino, parsley, pepperoncinis, and a light drizzle of the reserved dressing before serving.
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👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Before serving leftovers, give the pasta salad a quick stir and add a splash of reserved dressing if needed to freshen it back up.
