The BEST Pasta Salad is an old family recipe that’s a hit at parties, potlucks, or as a zesty side dish with dinner. Full of flavor and punch!
The recipe for The BEST Pasta Salad has always gone by another name in my family – “Grandpa’s Pasta Salad”. That’s because this recipe was one of his absolute favorites and he always requested that it be served at every special occasion. My Grandpa’s family came from Czechoslovakia and had an affinity for boldly flavored foods like sauerkraut, pickled pigs feet, and pepperoni, which is probably why he loved this salad so.
No sauerkraut nor pickled pigs feet in here, though! (Really selling this dish, aren’t I? 😂) Just cooked pasta tossed with chopped pepperoni, black olives, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, a zesty spice blend, and zippy Italian dressing which combine to make the most perfect pasta salad. My family has been eating this delectable side dish all our lives and the good news is that it can be easily made gluten free!
What You Need to Know:
- My Grandpa liked this dish made with fettuccini (it’s SO good) but you can use whatever pasta you have on hand/your family likes.
- Cooked gluten free pasta typically does NOT keep well refrigerated overnight. That said, plan on making then enjoying this dish on the same day if making with gluten free pasta.
- We have traditionally made this side dish with Kraft Zesty Italian Salad Dressing but, since it’s not gluten free, I use my homemade Best Ever Italian Vinaigrette to dress the salad instead. SO tangy, SO yummy. Easy to make, too.
- What really makes this pasta salad special is the liberal use of a flavor-packed spice blend. We have always used McCormick’s Salad Supreme Seasoning, but since it’s also not gluten free, I use a copy cat recipe which I’ll share below. It’s a dead ringer for the real thing!
How to Make This Recipe:
Start by cooking 1lb gluten-free or regular pasta in salted, boiling water (dish will not be GF if using regular pasta.) I used Delallo gluten free rotini and also like Barilla’s GF pasta cuts for this salad.
Cook until the pasta is al dente then drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Meanwhile, shake up the dressing. Again, traditionally we use a jar of Kraft Zesty Italian for the dressing, but since it’s not gluten free I use my Best Ever Italian Vinaigrette instead.
Next whip up the spice blend which is what really makes this pasta salad pop! If you don’t need to eat gluten free, use McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning. If you DO need to eat gluten free, click here for a gluten free copycat seasoning recipe >
Las step is to add 6oz chopped pepperoni, 1 chopped cucumber that’s been peeled then seeded, 3 Roma tomatoes that have been seeded and chopped, and a 2.25oz can sliced black olives that has been drained to a large bowl.
Add the cooled pasta, plus seasoning blend to taste (we usually start with 1/2 the bottle/copycat recipe,) plus 3/4 of the dressing then toss to combine. Refrigerate until cool then toss with the remaining dressing right before serving. As I mentioned, cooked gluten free pasta doesn’t hold up well overnight, but a few hours in the refrigerator to meld the flavors is just fine.
I hope you LOVE this easy, zippy, zesty BEST Pasta Salad ever!! Enjoy!
More Salad Side Dish Recipes:
- Napa Sweet Corn Salad >
- Grilled Corn and Avocado Pasta Salad >
- Caprese Pasta Salad >
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad >
- Cucumber and Tomato Salad with BEST-EVER Italian Vinaigrette >
- Marinated Vegetable Salad >
Asian Noodle Bowls
California Turkey and Bacon Lettuce Wraps with Basil-MayoThe BEST Pasta Salad
Description
The BEST Pasta Salad is a family recipe that's a hit at parties, potlucks, or as a zest side dish with dinner. Full of flavor and punch!
Ingredients
- 1lb gluten-free short cut pasta
- 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded then chopped
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded then chopped
- 6oz pepperoni, chopped (I like Applegate Farms)
- 2.25oz can sliced olives, drained
- 1 recipe Salad Supreme Seasoning (see notes, OR 1/2 - 3/4 bottle McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning if dish does not need to be GF)
- 1 recipe Italian Vinaigrette (see notes, OR 1 large bottle Kraft Zesty Italian if dish does not need to be GF)
Directions
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool pasta.
- Add pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, pepperoni, black olives, Salad Supreme Seasoning, and 3/4 of the Italian Salad Dressing to a large bowl then toss to combine. Refrigerate until completely chilled then add remaining salad dressing just before serving if necessary.
Notes
- Click here for Italian Vinaigrette recipe >
- Click here for Salad Supreme Seasoning recipe >
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
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PEPPERONI. in PASTA SALAD? um, i can for sure get on board…
I love anything with pasta in it so this looks divine!
See, now this happens to me wayyyy tooooo often! I woke up, came directly to your blog to get the list of what I need to make the Asian Noodle Bowls I have been dreaming about since you posted that recipe, and now I am suddenly making Asian Noodle Bowls AND this pasta salad for dinner! UGH! I realize they do not go together, but I guarantee it doesn’t matter because I will be in heaven! :)
I am going to a group “psychic reading” and luncheon this weekend and was looking for the perfect thing to bring – this is it!!! thanks for bringing this recipe back for summer!
I love the addition of olives to pasta salad. Definitely not something I would have thought of, but it looks delicious.
Helllllllo picnic perfect pasta salad! Loving this cool pasta salad as I have an Italian pasta monster in my house (aka my husband) but sometimes HOT pasta in the summer is just too.much. (especially during this heat wave we’ve been having in DC!) LOVING all of the gluten-free copycat seasoning recipes, too! You’re heaven-sent :)
YUM. All of it looks so delicious & perfect for a summer BBQ! Can’t wait to make this – thanks for the recipe!
I was JUST thinking about a pepperoni pasta salad. This looks amazing.
Sarah
Midwest Darling
I had a hankering for pasta salad and bought all the ingredients to make it this weekend- except for the Salad Supreme seasoning! Thanks for the hot tip. I’m sure it will make it extra flavorful
If you have a chance to try gluten free corn pasta, its amazing and very close tasting to regular pasta. Cooks up much nicer than most rice pastas. Also, most Renee’s Salad dressings are all gluten free. They are a fabulous brand. I don’t even make homemade gf dressings any more!
Totally agree! This Delallo pasta is corn pasta!
This is the exact same recipe my aunt has brought to our 4th of july picnics every year when I was a kid! My mom and I both make it now, its phenomenal :)
I am totally on board with this salad. A variation of it always shows up at church potlucks, right? Yum.
It really is the BEST! I was asked to bring pasta salad to a 4th of July party and I found this on your blog. It was so easy and I got a lot of compliments :)
OMG Kristin, you crack me up with the flashbacks. I’m definitely going to try this pasta salad. It looks so delicious!
Looks so good! I love pasta salad! Especially for the summer :)
I was thinking of making this a day ahead…do you think it would keep well?
Yep, should be fine if you make sure the pasta is rinsed under cold water really well, and you save the last bit of dressing for tossing with the salad the day you want to eat it!
LOL, my family has been making this pasta salad for ages. It’s not a proper cookout without it. I just assumed someone in my family made it up. Glad to know others enjoy it as much as we do!
A small bottle of Zesty Italian dressing?
We’d use a whole small bottle on it but need more after it was refrigerated so get the big bottle so you can add more just before serving. Thanks for pointing that out – I’ll adjust the recipe!
This looks spectacular! I am a pasta salad fanatic (but only if it includes pepperoni and/or salami) and I love all of those seasonings and spices. YUM!
Is this brand of pasta available in Iowa? Or do I have to order it online?
Hi Halley! I haven’t found it in Iowa (the company sent me some to try awhile ago,) but Barilla gluten-free pasta has the same taste and texture. I just didn’t have any of their rotini in the house when I made this!
Okay so I made this yesterday. I want to note, I HAVE MADE HUNDREDS of pasta salads. And you’re right! THIS IS THE VERY BEST! My husband is actually numb to all of my pasta salads, I make them THAT often. But he liked it last night, and took some to work today, and texted me that he wants me to make it again, and wants to bathe in the ‘red oil’ (dressing). I made the homemade italian dressing and the homemade salad supreme and I just absolutely love this pasta salad!
I am dying laughing – the “red oil” – totally!! So glad you found a winner you all like!
I’m pinning this because it looks so delicous! I’m hoping to try it out this weekend! Thank you, and I found your post on BlogLovin, would love if you checked my blog out sometime. Have a great night!
This looks so full of flavour!
http://xoxobella.com/
This is my go-to dish for any potluck, BBQ or picnic! Always a crowd pleaser and so easy to make! I’m in Minnesota, so maybe it’s a midwest thing?!
I also add in some cubed cheese to give it a little extra kick, and sometimes substitute the black olives for kalamatas, which is seriously the way to go!
Pasta salad with pepperoni! Looks really great!
Nice pasta salad!
I made this pasta salad Sunday and it’s almost gone…it is by far the most simplest and delicious salad I have had in quite some time. Definitely making again.
I do not like Italian dressing. I do not like pepperoni. I made this salad because I thought my husband would like it. I LOVE THIS SALAD! So refreshing, great mix of textures, and so simple to make. Will absolutely make this again and again!
Just to let you know, I recently purchased McCormick’s Salad Supreme and it is gluten free.
I really want to try to make this salad but I am having a difficult time finding the McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning. What grocery store did you find it at? Thank you.
Hi Annie! I made the mix myself (the link is in the recipe) as the seasoning mix is really hit or miss for which stores I can find it at. Usually HyVee has it though!
Not sure if you’ve tried this or if it’s sold near you, but Garlic Expressions salad dressing is so so delicious and GF:
My mom is a big fan, but only certain stores in CT sell it so she makes special trips and buys it in bulk like she’s a doomsday prepper ;-)
HAHA I am the same way about my favorite products – got to have multi back ups JUST IN CASE!
OMG I thought I was the only one that loved salad surpreme. I love it in any salad. Not bad on baked potatoes either. We like it on homemade croutons too.
[…] http://iowagirleats.com/2015/07/22/the-best-pasta-salad/ […]
[…] Pasta salad is good anytime of year and this one looks delicious, I am thinking of adding extra veggies and leaving out the meat. […]
Kristin, have you ever tried this with turkey pepperoni?
I haven’t, but that would be totally fine!
I am interested in this recipe! Would it work to also serve it warm? I’ve learned that this is how my hubby may prefer. :)
Hi Rach! This recipe is best served cold. I hope he still likes it!
I made this last night and ..no lie..my husband said wow this is the BEST pasta salad I’ve ever had :) Too funny. Thanks for yet another great recipe!
HA – so glad to hear it! I’m craving a big bowl right now!
This is the best recipe I found for macaroni salad. My hubby even said it’s as good . Sometimes I like to use a mixture of different kinds of pasta, especially if I only have a little of this kind or that.
[…] The BEST Pasta Salad at Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] A family favorite that’s been passed down – The BEST Pasta Salad {with pepperoni, veggies, olives and italian dressing} | Iowa Girl Eats […]
All I can say is that this recipe is awesome!!!!?
So glad to hear it, Elizabeth! Thanks for the feedback!
Made this yesterday for our Memorial day BBQ and it was a hit with everybod. ..y
I make this but I add marinated artichoke hearts marinate and all. Be sure all hard parts are off the artichoke leaves ( hard to chew ) . Delish .
My husband and I catered our niece’s wedding last weekend. The bride requested a pasta salad. I about cried as I don’t do pasta salads because I never made one I liked. It has been probably 20 years or more since the last “pasta salad disaster”. I told my husband I refused to make one but then felt guilty. Brides should get what they want, right??
Sooo…2 days before the wedding I sat and searched for “the best pasta salad” and laughed when I saw the title of yours!! I went and bought all the ingredients and made it that night to try it the next day (to let the flavors get to know each other!). So the next day, the day before the wedding, I put extra dressing on (I used Wish Bone Robusto Italian) and hubby and I tried it. I was skeptical because I am not really a fan of pasta salad and yours was the first I tried. Well let me tell you we LOVED it! And I didn’t have to “try” anymore recipes!!
I made 2 more batches of it for the wedding, I did add some cubed cheddar cheese, but that was the only thing different. It was a big success!!!
I am making 2 more batches today because my husband is smoking baby backs to take to the Sheriff’s office to feed the staff so I told him I would make some pasta salad. Thanks so much for saving my skin (and cooking reputation) for the wedding!!!!
What a success story, Laura!! So glad to hear the pasta salad with a hit at both the wedding and cook out – thank you so much for the feedback!! :)
[…] Iowa Girl Eats is the clever cook behind this amazing recipe for what is titled ‘the best pasta salad’. Not only does it contain lots of yummy stuff such as pepperoni, but it’s also gluten-free! […]
when you say to use part of a jar of the Salad Supreme, how many ounces does that mean?
It’s usually 2.6oz (or somewhere around there!)
[…] I honest to goodness have to remind myself to breathe while eating this pasta salad because it is just that good. Ben and I have tried experimenting with it over the years – adding sliced cheese and what not – but we always come back to the Grandpa-approved classic. ENJOY! Original Article […]
[…] Pasta Salad via Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
Made this for dinner tonight! Easy, delicious and filling!!
Wohoo!! So glad to hear it! Hope you’re having a great summer! ;)