This Italian Pasta Salad is the dish that disappears first at every cookout and potluck. Tender rotini, salami, mozzarella, tomatoes and olives get tossed in a zesty homemade Italian dressing.

A one-pound box of pasta is still one of the cheapest ways to feed a crowd, and that matters when groceries cost what they do right now. This makes a big bowl for very little money.

The homemade dressing takes two minutes and tastes far better than bottled. It also soaks into the pasta as it chills, so this is a salad you actually want to make ahead.

Serve it as a side, pack it for lunches, or add extra salami and cheese and call it dinner.

Ingredients and Swaps

Pasta: Rotini holds the dressing in its spirals. Bowties and penne also work.
Salami and mozzarella: Pepperoni or diced ham can replace the salami. Leave out the meat for a vegetarian salad.
Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives and red onion.
Dressing: Olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, Italian seasoning and garlic. Bottled Italian dressing is a shortcut.

Tips for Pasta Salad That Isn’t Bland

Salt the pasta water. Cold food needs more seasoning than hot.
Cook the pasta just past al dente. Pasta firms up when chilled.
Rinse and drain well. Cold water stops the cooking, and draining keeps the dressing from being watered down.
Save some dressing. Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits. Hold back a few tablespoons to toss in before serving.
Chill before serving. Thirty minutes lets the flavors blend.

Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.

Cost: Ingredients – $13.71 from Walmart, $11.11 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.39 to $1.71

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Italian Pasta Salad

Rotini tossed with salami, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and olives in a zesty homemade Italian dressing. A make-ahead side for lunches and potlucks.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

1 pound rotini pasta
4 ounces salami sliced into strips
8 ounces mozzarella cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
1 cucumber diced
½ cup black olives sliced
½ red onion finely diced
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool, then drain well.
Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, Italian seasoning, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, mozzarella, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and red onion.
Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is coated.
Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Toss again and add a pinch of salt if needed.

Notes

Swap salami for pepperoni or diced ham.
Add a handful of fresh basil or a can of drained chickpeas.
Leave out the meat to make it vegetarian.
Bottled Italian dressing works in a pinch; use about 1 cup.

Add-Ins

Fresh basil, a can of drained chickpeas, roasted red peppers or pepperoncini. More filling salads are in 12 Cheap Salad Recipes That Actually Fill You Up.