Loaded Italian Pasta Salad

This loaded Italian pasta salad is the make-ahead side dish that feeds a crowd and tastes better the longer it sits. Tri-colored pasta tossed in a bold dressing of Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing, marinated artichoke heart oil, Salad Supreme, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder, packed with chopped tomatoes, sweet mini bell peppers, red onion, Kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts, a full pound of chopped pepperoni, a pound and a half of cubed salami, fresh mozzarella pearls, and freshly grated Parmesan, and optionally topped with a creamy burrata ball right before serving. This is the pasta salad that makes people ask for the recipe before they have finished their first serving.

The combination of pepperoni and salami together is the detail that makes this pasta salad taste genuinely loaded rather than just a standard Italian pasta salad with a few toppings scattered through. Two cured Italian meats in generous amounts mean every forkful has a substantial amount of protein alongside the pasta and vegetables, and their individual flavor profiles, the slight spice of the pepperoni and the richer, fattier salami, complement each other in a way that one meat alone cannot produce.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It feeds a crowd from one large bowl. A full pack of pasta with this volume of toppings serves 10 to 12 people generously, which makes it the natural choice for cookouts, potlucks, and any gathering where a single dish needs to go a long way.

The marinated artichoke oil added to the dressing is the secret ingredient that makes this taste more complex than the bottle of Italian dressing alone. The flavored oil from the jar carries the herb and garlic notes from the artichoke marinade throughout every bite of the finished salad.

It genuinely improves overnight. The pasta absorbs the dressing, the flavors of the meats and vegetables infuse through everything, and the whole salad becomes more cohesive and deeply flavored after a full night in the refrigerator.

The burrata on top before serving is the visual and flavor detail that makes this pasta salad look like a centerpiece rather than a side dish.

Ingredients Needed to Make Loaded Italian Pasta Salad

One large bowl and serious Italian deli ingredients. Here is what you need.

The Pasta

Tri-colored pasta adds visual appeal and holds the dressing well in its ridges and curves. Rotini, penne, or fusilli all work well in the tri-colored format. Cook in heavily salted water, rinse cold, and cool completely before dressing so the hot pasta does not wilt the vegetables or melt the mozzarella.

The Dressing Base

Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing is the primary dressing. The marinated artichoke heart oil from the jar adds a flavored, herb-infused fat that deepens the dressing. McCormick Perfect Pinch Salad Supreme adds a seasoned salt blend specifically developed for pasta and grain salads. Italian seasoning and garlic powder round out the seasoning throughout.

The Vegetables

Chopped tomatoes add freshness and acidity. Sweet mini bell peppers add crunch and sweetness. Red or purple onion adds a sharp bite. Kalamata olives add a briny, slightly bitter depth. Marinated artichoke hearts finely chopped add a savory, slightly tangy element that pairs naturally with the Italian dressing.

The Meats and Cheese

A full pound of chopped pepperoni and a pound and a half of thinly sliced deli salami cut into small cubes make this pasta salad genuinely loaded. Fresh mozzarella pearls add creamy pockets of mild cheese throughout. Freshly grated Parmesan adds a salty, nutty finish. Optional burrata on top adds a lush, creamy centerpiece.

How to Make Loaded Italian Pasta Salad

One large bowl, one pasta pot, and mostly hands-off chilling time.

Step 1: Cook and Cool the Pasta

Cook the tri-colored pasta in a large pot of heavily salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse well under cold water until the pasta is completely cool to the touch. Shake off as much water as possible and set aside. The pasta must be completely cool before dressing or it will absorb the dressing too aggressively and the mozzarella will soften into the pasta.

Step 2: Build the Dressing

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the marinated artichoke heart oil, Italian dressing, Salad Supreme, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir well until the seasonings are fully dissolved into the dressing.

Step 3: Add the Vegetables

Add the chopped tomatoes and mini bell peppers to the dressing and stir them in. Let them sit for a few minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients so they begin absorbing the dressing flavor from the start.

Step 4: Add the Meats and Remaining Vegetables

Add the finely chopped red onion, Kalamata olives, chopped marinated artichoke hearts, chopped pepperoni, and cubed salami. Toss until everything is well combined and coated in the dressing.

Step 5: Add the Cheese

Add the fresh mozzarella pearls and stir gently so they distribute throughout the salad without breaking. Add the cooled pasta and the freshly grated Parmesan. Toss the entire bowl together until the pasta is fully coated in the dressing and all ingredients are evenly mixed throughout.

Step 6: Chill and Serve

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Overnight chilling produces the best, most developed flavor. Before serving, stir well and add a splash of extra Italian dressing if the pasta has absorbed the dressing and the salad seems dry. Top with a burrata ball right before serving if desired.

Storing

Store in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pasta continues absorbing the dressing as it sits. Add extra Italian dressing before each serving to keep it moist and well coated. The flavor improves over the first 24 hours and remains excellent through day three.

Loaded Italian Pasta Salad

This loaded Italian pasta salad combines tri-colored pasta, pepperoni, salami, artichoke hearts, mozzarella pearls, Kalamata olives, and fresh vegetables in a bold Italian dressing. A crowd-pleasing make-ahead side dish.

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Ingredients

  

• 1 pack tri-colored pasta cooked, drained, and cooled
• 4 tablespoons marinated oil from a jar of marinated artichoke hearts
• 1 1/4 cups Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing plus more for serving if needed
• 1 tablespoon McCormick Perfect Pinch Salad Supreme
• 1 tablespoon McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups sweet mini bell peppers chopped
• 4 tablespoons red or purple onion finely chopped
• 1 heaping cup Kalamata olives
• 1 12- ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts finely chopped
• 1 pound pepperoni chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds salami sliced thin from the deli and chopped into small cubes
• 1 pack fresh mozzarella pearls
• 1 small container freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Burrata cheese ball for topping, optional

Method

 

1. Cook your tri-colored pasta in heavily salted water according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside until completely cooled.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the marinated artichoke oil, Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing, Salad Supreme, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix well to combine.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and sweet mini bell peppers. Stir them into the dressing so they can start soaking up all that flavor.
4. Add the red onion, Kalamata olives, chopped marinated artichoke hearts, pepperoni, and salami. Toss everything together until well combined.
5. Add the fresh mozzarella pearls and gently stir.
6. Add the cooled tri-colored pasta and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Toss everything together until the pasta is fully coated and all the ingredients are evenly mixed.
7. Cover and chill before serving.
8. Right before serving, give it a good stir and add a little extra Italian dressing if needed. Top with a burrata cheese ball if desired.