Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad

Name: Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad
Prep time: 26 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 36 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16 oz (454 g) dry rotini pasta; 1 tbsp (10 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, for the pasta water; 6 oz (170 g) sliced pepperoni, slices halved, or quartered if large; 8 oz (227 g) mozzarella pearls (ciliegine or small fresh mozzarella balls), drained and patted dry; if using larger balls, cut into ½-inch pieces; 1 cup (135 g) sliced black olives, drained; 1 large (200 g) green bell pepper, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces; ½ cup (75 g) red onion, finely diced; 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved; ½ cup (40 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; ¾ cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 6 tbsp (90 ml) red wine vinegar; 3 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely minced or grated; 1 tbsp (3 g) dried oregano; 1½ tsp (1½ g) dried basil; 1½ tsp (10 g) honey; 1½ tsp (8 g) Dijon mustard; ¾ tsp (2½ g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ tsp (1 g) red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender rotini tossed with crisp bell pepper, salty pepperoni, black olives, and mozzarella pearls in a zesty homemade Italian vinaigrette with a pizza-parlor kick. It's a make-ahead crowd-pleaser for picnics, potlucks, and lunchboxes.

Prep: 26 min
Cook: 10 min
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 36 min
Makes: About 10 cups (8 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

16 oz (454 g) dry rotini pasta
1 tbsp (10 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, for the pasta water
6 oz (170 g) sliced pepperoni, slices halved, or quartered if large
8 oz (227 g) mozzarella pearls (ciliegine or small fresh mozzarella balls), drained and patted dry; if using larger balls, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 cup (135 g) sliced black olives, drained
1 large (200 g) green bell pepper, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces
½ cup (75 g) red onion, finely diced
1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup (40 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
For the Italian dressing
¾ cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
6 tbsp (90 ml) red wine vinegar
3 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely minced or grated
1 tbsp (3 g) dried oregano
1½ tsp (1.5 g) dried basil
1½ tsp (10 g) honey
1½ tsp (8 g) Dijon mustard
¾ tsp (2.5 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
½ tsp (1 g) red pepper flakes (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large pot (6-quart / 5.5 L or bigger)
Colander
Large mixing bowl (4-quart / 4 L or bigger)
Medium bowl or 2-cup (500 ml) jar with lid for the dressing
Cutting board and sharp knife
Rubber spatula or large spoon
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: about 35 minutes of work (the pasta cooks while you do other things), then 1 hour of chilling. Total is about 1½ hours.
Start the pasta water first and make the dressing and chop the mix-ins while it heats, so nothing waits on anything else.
Drain the mozzarella pearls and pat them dry so they don't water down the dressing.
This recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you only have Morton kosher salt, use about two-thirds of the volume (2 tsp for the pasta water, ½ tsp in the dressing), because it is denser.
Check the pasta package for the al dente time (usually 8 to 10 minutes for rotini). You will cook it 1 minute longer than that.

1
Start the pasta water
- Fill a 6-quart (5.5 L) pot about three-quarters full with water, cover, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- This takes about 10 to 12 minutes, so move straight on to the next two steps while it heats.
- When the water boils, stir in the 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal salt.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break the surface constantly
Tip: Salt the water generously; it's the only chance to season the pasta itself.
2
Make the dressing
- In a medium bowl or lidded jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, basil, honey, Dijon, ¾ teaspoon salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Whisk or shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- You will have about 1¼ cups (300 ml) of dressing.
- Set aside ⅓ cup (80 ml) in a small jar or bowl for the final step.
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Ready when: Dressing looks cloudy and fully blended with no clumps of mustard
Tip: Rub the dried herbs between your palms as you add them to wake up their flavor.
3
Prep the mix-ins
- While the water heats, halve or quarter the pepperoni slices, dice the bell pepper into ½-inch pieces, finely dice the red onion, halve the cherry tomatoes, drain the olives, and pat the mozzarella dry (cut into ½-inch pieces if the balls are large).
- Put everything into a large mixing bowl (4-quart / 4 L or bigger) along with the grated Parmesan.
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Ready when: All pieces are roughly bite-sized, about ½ inch
Tip: Keep the pieces about the same size as the rotini spirals so every forkful has a bit of everything.
4
Cook the rotini
- Check that the water is at a full rolling boil, then add the rotini and stir right away.
- Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for the package time for al dente plus 1 minute.
- Most rotini packages say 8 to 10 minutes, so that means 9 to 11 minutes.
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Ready when: Pasta is fully tender with only a very slight chew, and a bitten piece has no hard white core
Tip: Start tasting a piece at the package al dente time; cold pasta firms up, so it should taste slightly soft while hot.
5
Drain and cool pasta
- Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse under cold running water for about 1 minute, tossing, until no longer warm to the touch.
- Shake well and let drain for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Pasta feels cool and no water pools beneath the colander
Tip: Rinsing is important here: warm pasta would melt the mozzarella and soak up all the dressing unevenly.
6
Combine the salad
- Add the cooled, drained pasta to the bowl with the mix-ins.
- Shake the dressing again and pour all of it over the salad except the ⅓ cup (80 ml) you set aside.
- Fold gently until everything is evenly coated.
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Ready when: Everything is evenly coated with a light sheen of dressing
Tip: Fold gently with a spatula so the tomatoes and mozzarella stay intact.
7
Chill to blend
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours, so the pasta absorbs the dressing and the flavors meld.
- Keep the reserved dressing in the fridge too.
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Ready when: Salad is cold throughout and pasta tastes seasoned
8
Refresh and serve
- Shake the reserved ⅓ cup (80 ml) dressing and stir it into the salad.
- Taste, then add a pinch of salt or red pepper flakes if you like.
- Serve cold or cool.
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Ready when: Pasta looks glossy and tastes bright and tangy, not dry
Tip: Pasta salad always tastes flatter cold, so don't skip this final seasoning check.

Good to know

Tips

Rinse the pasta in cold water so it cools quickly and doesn't clump or melt the cheese.
Cook the pasta 1 minute past the package al dente time, because it firms up in the fridge.
Reserve ⅓ cup (80 ml) of dressing to add right before serving, since pasta keeps absorbing it as it sits.
Add a handful of baby spinach or arugula just before serving for a fresh, peppery crunch.

Make ahead

"Make the salad through the chilling step up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate covered. Keep the reserved ⅓ cup (80 ml) of dressing in a separate jar in the fridge and stir it in just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Serve cold or let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes; do not leave out longer than 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F / 32°C). Not recommended for freezing, as the pasta and mozzarella turn mushy and watery when thawed. No reheating needed; stir in a spoonful of olive oil or vinegar if it seems dry."

Substitutions

dry rotini pasta → Penne, fusilli, rigatoni, or cavatappi. Use the same weight and cook to the package al dente time plus 1 minute.
mozzarella pearls (ciliegine or small fresh mozzarella balls) → Cubed low-moisture mozzarella or provolone. Cut into ½-inch cubes; the texture will be a little firmer.
sliced pepperoni → Turkey pepperoni or diced salami. Turkey pepperoni is leaner and less greasy; use the same weight.
extra-virgin olive oil → Bottled Italian dressing (1¼ cups / 300 ml). Skip all the homemade dressing ingredients (oil through pepper flakes) for a shortcut; the flavor will be a bit sweeter. Still reserve ⅓ cup (80 ml) for the end.