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Quick, easy, and loaded with flavor, this 15-Minute Italian Pasta Salad is perfect for Summer parties and barbecues!
It’s no secret I’m an avid pasta lover. <—- Proof of that can be found here, here, here, and here. That said, during the hot muggy months of Summer I tend to prefer my noodles in cold salad form. Last year I shared with you this epic 20-Minute BLT Pasta Salad, and the year before that I whipped up a Classic Italian Pasta Salad for you.
This year I’m bringing you this creamy, dreamy 15-Minute Italian Pasta Salad. Because let’s be real – ain’t nobody got the time or patience to be in the kitchen all day long in this Summertime heat!
The base of this salad is a whole pound of swirly Rotini pasta. I chose these corkscrew shaped noodles because they’re easy to scoop, eat, and they catch the dressing wonderfully (thank you, crevices!). If for some reason you can’t find Rotini, give Farfalle (bow-ties) a try. I think they will work equally well.
I used brown rice (gluten free) noodles, which held up incredible well in this dish!
To add flavor to this salad party we’ll toss in fresh basil, tomatoes, provolone cheese, red onion, and salami; a thick drizzle of zesty Italian salad dressing seals the deal.
Fellow pasta lovers, give this one a try asap! It’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, a make-ahead lunch, or a take-along dish for your next picnic.
P.S. Love pasta? Follow my Pasta Pinterest Board! It’s loaded with delicious recipes sure to inspire.
15-Minute Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound Rotini pasta
- 1 1/2 cups zesty Italian salad dressing, divided
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- (1) 8 ounce stick salami, sliced into small chunks
- 4 ounces sharp provolone, Cut into small chunks
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- (1) pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package instructions; drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Prepare basil, salami, provolone, onion, and tomatoes according to instructions above; set aside.
- Toss the pasta with 1 cup of the dressing, then add in the basil, salami, provolone, onion, and tomatoes; mix well to combine. Add in the rest of the dressing, if needed, and toss well to combine. Chill until serving, or serve at once.
My favorite breakfast is pasta. I tried pasta salad. It was tasty. I will be waiting for the more pasta recipes.
I really love Italian food like pasta, salad.My mouth is watering just looking at the pics
Yum! This is pretty similar to a pasta salad my husband loves to make for barbeques, but I love the addition of fresh basil.
Thanks, Meg! I love adding fresh basil to pretty much everything once Summer hits 😉
I’m curious if you are aware that some of the images pinned from this site are being deleted per an apparent copyright complaint? The message reads that the complaint was against another pin with similar content, but that all pins have been deleted.
This salad looks great! I love a cold pasta salad in the summer.
Hi Julia. Do you happen to know if it was the lemon blackberry cupcakes pin? I did unfortunately have to issue a take down notice for that because someone was using my image but linking it back to their site (which then went on to completely copy and paste my work). If it was another pin I’m not sure why it would be being removed and I’d love to further investigate.
Thank you for letting me know! And I think you’d love the salad. It’s the perfect combination of hearty and refreshing 😉
Me too they sent me a email about a copy wright complaint from someone . I liked the pin so I was wondering if you would repost it with the link to your website
Hi Nina. It wasn’t all pins, just one in particular that unfortunately was leading to a page stealing my content. All of the images on my site are pinnable and any pins of pinterest that are mine are pinnable as well 🙂 It was just that one pin that sadly was a bad apple! If you have any more questions on this I am happy to assist.
What a great pasta salad for any potluck or picnic!
Thanks, Tori! It’s definitely my secret weapon for last minute picnic invites 😉
Looks so colorful and so delicious!
Thank you, Medeja! I am all about the color once Summer hits 😉
I am a huge fan of pasta too and I cannot believe this only takes 15 minutes. We just had out third child last month so I am all about the quick and easy meals. Looks amazing!
Thank you, Ashley! I will let you know how it turns out.
Hi Tara. Congrats on the new addition to your family! I was a nanny for yeeeeears, so I know how fun but exhausting the little ones can be. I can’t wait to hear how your family enjoys this meal 🙂