Our Salad Supreme Pasta Salad recipe is made with zesty Italian dressing, tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, pepperoni, cheddar cheese, and a homemade seasoning blend. It’s one of our favorite cold pasta salads to enjoy during the hot summer months.
This Italian pasta salad is a classic recipe that we love to make for family gatherings. It’s a great recipe for cookouts and potlucks too, and makes a tasty side dish with hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken, and ribs.
You can make this Salad Supreme Pasta Salad your own by adding your favorite additions (see “Recipe Substitutions and Variations” below). Just toss the ingredients in a large bowl and serve chilled.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 pound tri-color rotini pasta
- 1 1/2 cups Italian dressing (we used Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing)
- 2 small Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup pepperoni, sliced into bite size pieces
- 1/2 cucumber, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
Salad Supreme Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3⁄4 teaspoon Diamond Kosher salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1⁄4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1⁄4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Recipe Variations or Substitutions
- Seasoning: Substitute with McCormick’s Salad Supreme seasoning or your favorite Italian seasoning.
- Pasta: Try with fusilli pasta or spaghetti noodles.
- Cheese: Use Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, or fresh mozzarella cheese instead.
- Fresh vegetables: Add fresh broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, green onions, green pepper, red pepper, or black olives (technically a fruit).
Tools
- Large Pot: For boiling the pasta.
- Large Mixing Bowl or Salad Bowl: To mix the pasta salad ingredients together.
- Colander: To drain the cooked pasta.
- Cutting Board: For dicing vegetables and slicing pepperoni.
- Mixing Spoon or Spatula: To stir and mix everything.
- Small Bowl: For mixing the Supreme Salad Seasoning.
How to Make Zesty Salad Supreme Pasta Salad
- Boil pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and let it cool completely.
- Dice the tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, and onion, and slice the pepperoni.
- Combine the cooled pasta, diced vegetables, sliced pepperoni, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Pour the Italian dressing over the mixture and sprinkle with Salad Supreme seasoning. Stir well to coat everything evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to let the flavors meld.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Make sure to cook the pasta al dente, as it will hold its shape and texture better when mixed with the dressing and vegetables.
- Prevent Sticking: To cool pasta quickly and prevent it from sticking together, rinse it under cold water while draining.
- Prepare Ahead: This pasta salad tastes even better after it has had time to chill and the flavors have melded together. If possible, make it a few hours or even a day ahead of time.
What Goes Good with Pasta Salad?
Serve Salad Supreme Pasta Salad chilled, as a main dish or a side dish, with your favorite BBQ recipes:
- Pulled pork
- Grilled chicken quarters
- Smoked chicken legs
- Beer can chicken
- Smoked chicken wings
- Grilled pork chops
- Smoked brisket
- Spare ribs
- Dino ribs
How to Keep Pasta Salad Fresh
If taking pasta salad to a picnic or potluck, keep it in a cooler on ice to maintain freshness.
How to Store Homemade Pasta Salad
Transfer pasta salad to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Before serving, give it a good stir to redistribute any dressing that may have settled at the bottom.
Salad Supreme Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound tri-color rotini pasta
- 1 1/2 cups Italian dressing we used Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing
- 2 small Roma tomatoes diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup pepperoni sliced into bite size pieces
- 1/2 cucumber diced
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
Salad Supreme Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and let it cool completely.
- Dice the Roma tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion. Slice the pepperoni.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta with the diced vegetables, sliced pepperoni, and shredded mild cheddar cheese.
- Pour dressing over the pasta salad. Stir well to coat all ingredients evenly.
- In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, Diamond Kosher salt, celery seed, granulated garlic, and coarse ground black pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning blend over the pasta salad and stir until well incorporated.
- Cover the pasta salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
I simply loved this salad. I used to make a similar one years ago, and I lost the recipe. I am so glad I found yours!! It tastes just like my other salad recipe which I was missing. I’ve bookmarked this one, so I am not losing it again! 😉
Simply delish. Thanks for the tasty recipe.
I made this for the family for dinner and it came out so good! What a tasty pasta salad for dinner. I’ll be making it again for sure!
This was one of the better pasta salads I’ve ever tried again. Will make it for another potluck dinner. Thanks!
Glad you loved it, Vicky!
I made this for a picnic that me and my family had yesterday and it was a huge hit! Even my picky toddler loved it. I will definitely be making this again 🙂
Yes! Recipe toddlers love for the win!
I love the options that you suggest and this was a really delicious salad. It made a meal not just a side!
Absolutely! I love eating it as a meal.
I needed a new pasta salad for a family cookout and came across this one! It turned out so tasty and I love how filled with yummy toppings it is. Everyone asked for my recipe!
Yay! So happy everyone loves it!
Oh my gosh, I love how simple, easy, delicious, and healthy this salad recipe is.
I made this and everyone loves it!
Awesome, we love to hear that!
We eat a lot of pasta salads in summer. Makes such a great meal that doesn’t require much time in the kitchen. This version is really good. I loved the flavours the seasoning added.
Thank you, I’m glad you loved it! The salad supreme seasonings are so good!
I love a good pasta salad in the summertime and this one was really good – the dressing was fantastic and the whole dish was super easy to make!
My favorite dressing!
I have made this recipe twice in one week! It is perfect for summer barbecues and I make it a few hours in advanve then serve!
So perfect for summer! Glad you loved it!
I love how full of veggies this pasta salad is! I served this with some grilled chicken and it made a fabulous lunch!
Grilled chicken, yum! The perfect pairing!
This is the easiest and tastiest pasta salad I’ve ever made! Brought it to a cookout and it was GONE in a flash, brought home an empty bowl! Love it!