This easy zesty Italian pasta salad is a fan favorite and features salami, olives, broccoli, and cheese that are pulled together with a zesty Italian dressing. It’s perfect for BBQ’s, potlucks, and side dishes!

It may be February but it was 80 degrees here in Texas and giving me all the summer vibes! With summer is quickly approaching, that means backyard BBQ season is right around the corner and we all need to get our BBQ go to recipes ready.

While some of you may think about what you want to throw on the grill, I’m thinking of the perfect sides to bring to a BBQ and this zesty Italian pasta salad is always top of the list. With just 6 simple ingredients, this pasta salad is bursting with zesty flavors and the perfect recipe to bring to a BBQ, potluck, or serve in your own home as a side dish or meal prep!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

You’ll love this zesty Italian pasta salad because its:

Only 6 ingredients: What’s not to love about that?
Easy to make: no special cooking skills needed for this recipe. All you need to do is boil some water, chop some veggies, and wait for your noodles to cook. The biggest piece of advice I can give with this recipe is make sure that your noodles are fully cooled before you add your veggies!
Can be made ahead of time: no time before your BBQ? No worries! Prep this pasta salad the night before or even earlier in the week and let the flavors come together in the fridge.
Perfect for meal prep: the longer this pasta salad sits in the fridge, the better it gets! You can top with pasta salad with some grilled chicken or add in some chickpeas to make a higher protein pasta salad that will keep you more satisfied.
Kid friendly: this pasta salad is not spicy and most kids love it! Make sure to chop the cheese sticks, salami, and broccoli small enough to avoid creating choke hazards for young children.

This recipe has always been one of my favorites and and I know you you’ll love it too!

The process:

This pasta salad is super simple to make and only requires a few steps. First, boil your water and cook your tri-color rotini according to package instructions. Once fully cooked (about 8-10 minutes), strain the water and allow your noodles to fully cool.

Pro-tip: as your noodles cool, they may stick together. To separate the clumps, add a dash of olive oil or some of your salad dressing and stir gently.

While your noodles cool, chop your veggies, salami, and cheese sticks. I like to quarter the salami and then slice the cheese sticks into 5-6 smaller cheese pieces. For the broccoli, make sure it's finely chopped.

Finally, mix the cooled pasta with your other ingredients and top with the entire bottle of dressing. Stir until well combined and serve chilled!

What to goes with pasta salad?

Feeling stuck on what to eat with pasta salad? Remember that we like to see a protein, carb, and color on most of your plates. This pasta salad will be the carb of your plate so we’re looking to fill the protein and color components. Here are some of my favorite recommendations on what to serve with pasta salad:

BBQ staples- think cheese burgers, hot dogs, ribs, and even grilled chicken breast all pair perfectly with pasta salad.
Baked proteins- recipes like these hot honey bakes chicken drumsticks, baked and shredded chicken, or baked pork chips are also great protein pairings to go with pasta salad.
Raw veggies with dip: another BBQ staple that will make up the color portion of your plate.
Make the pasta salad a meal!: if you can’t find things to eat with pasta salad, then add ingredients into your pasta salad to make it a meal itself.
- First, you want to add some extra protein like rotisserie chicken, other cooked meat, or roasted chickpeas. You can also sub the tri-color rotini for some chickpea noodles like Banza pasta which will make this a high protein pasta salad.
- Second, add some extra color like chopped zucchini, shaved brussels sprouts, extra broccoli, arugula, tomatoes, or other veggies that you have on hand.

Ingredients:

This zesty Italian pasta salad is a good alternative to a traditional bow-tie pasta salad and has just 6 simple ingredients including:

Tri-Color Rotini: This adds a beautiful color to the pasta salad but you could use chickpea pasta or another lentil pasta if you want to make a high protein pasta salad.
Salami: separate each piece and chip into quarters or sixths.
Broccoli: about one large head, finely chopped.
Sliced black olives: you’ll want a 6.5 oz can
Mozzarella cheese sticks: about 12 sticks sliced into small pieces. You can buy traditional mozzarella or smoked mozzarella to make it a smoked mozzarella pasta salad.
A zesty Italian dressing: I have always made this recipe with Newmans Own Family Style Italian but you could choose your favorite zesty Italian dressing and use the whole bottle.

Recipe FAQ:

How long is pasta salad good for in the fridge?
1. Once mixed, this pasta salad will stay good in the fridge for up to one week. Note that the longer it sits, the softer the ingredients will get some the salt and moisture in the dressing. You will also need to give this pasta salad a stir every time you want to serve it because the dressing will settle at the bottom!
How to make a high protein pasta salad?
1. To make a high protein pasta salad you can use chickpea noodles instead of tri-color noodles, add plant proteins like chickpeas or tofu, add extra cheese, or mix in some cooked proteins like chicken or turkey.