We’re celebrating Memorial Day all this week with our Memorial Day Cook-Out and sharing the recipes for all the yummy cook-out dishes. Yesterday we shared our Build Your Own Hot Dog Bar, today we have this delicious Pizza Pasta Salad that we discovered on Pillsbury.
I love the look of the layered pasta and other ingredients in this salad, the presentation in a clear glass bowl brightens up the table. Liz cooked the pasta and chopped all the veggies, pepperoni and cheese the night before, then we simply added the ingredients to the bowl the day of the party, making this a great make-ahead salad as well. Just be sure to add the dressing to the pasta before placing it in the fridge overnight, that way it won’t stick together.
Pizza Pasta Salad
A colorful make ahead pasta salad with a pizza flair, perfect for a summer party. Recipe from PocketChangeGourmet.com. Adapted from Pillsbury
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounce) uncooked rotini pasta
- 1–2 cups zesty Italian dressing
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 package (small) sliced turkey pepperoni
- 8 ounces mozzarella, cubed
- 1/2 cup green onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup green olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasoning Blend
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon dried sweet basil
- 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Cook and drain pasta, rinse with cold water
- In a 3 or 4 quart bowl, layer 4 cups of pasta, 1 tablespoon seasoning blend, tomatoes, green bell pepper, remaining pasta, remaining seasoning blend, pepperoni, mozzarella, green onions and olives.
- Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Memorial Day Cook-Out
- Hot Dog Bar – grab the recipes
- Pizza Pasta Salad
- Flag Fruit Kabobs
- Patriotic Pie Squares
- Memorial Day Drinks
- Memorial Day Printables – WATCH for them in Cupcake Chronicles Newsletter on Friday!! If you aren’t a subscriber…CHECK it out! It’s FREE!
- Paper Bag Lanterns
Linking to…Gooseberry Patch
In addition to being a skilled and passionate chef, Caroline is an awesome mother of two. In her spare time, Caroline pursues her passion for cooking by experimenting with new dishes and developing some of her very own. Her expertise and research are then condensed into comprehensive, easy-to-read guides and resources for readers who are looking for budget-friendly recipes for the whole family.
I’m not understanding the first step. Is this where you pour the dressing over the pasta?? I think maybe it is, but not sure.
Sorry Debi, you should pour the dressing over the salad after it’s all layered, then refrigerate for 2 hours.
Thanks for asking!
Saw this on Gooseberry Patch and wanted to stop by and say how yummy it looked. I love pasta salads and this one looks like a winner all around! Thanks so much.
Thanks for stopping by Martha! The pizza pasta salad is definitely a favorite.
~Liz