Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni–the perfect make-ahead side dish for potlucks, camping trips, cabin vacations, BBQs and summer dinners with tender pasta, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheddar cheese, pepperoni and zesty Italian dressing.

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Cabin Meal Series

We’re spending the week of the Fourth of July at our cabin with Reagan, Skyler, and a group of their friends, and this year I decided I didn’t want to spend the whole trip in the kitchen. I’m keeping the menu full of crowd-pleasing meals that are easy to transport, made with simple ingredients, and don’t leave me with a sink full of dishes. They’re all teen-approved and perfect for feeding a hungry group without a lot of stress. So far I’ve shared the french onion sloppy joes, Cabin French Toast Bake and Creamy Ranch Beef and Noodles and Pork Rio Salad.

Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni

Surprisingly, this pasta salad ended up being one of the biggest hits of our cabin trip! People kept coming back for seconds, asking if there were any leftovers, and giving me compliments all afternoon. Looking back, I definitely should have made a batch and a half because it disappeared so quickly. We served it for lunch with grapes, chips, and cold lemonade, and it was the perfect easy summer meal. I especially love that you can make it the night before and let it chill in the refrigerator overnight. Not only does that save time the next day, but it gives all the flavors a chance to come together, making the pasta salad even more delicious.

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

Radiatori pasta–or rotini, wagon wheel pasta
Italian dressing–I used Newman’s Own brand
Mini pepperoni–or chopped regular pepperoni
Grape tomatoes–or cherry tomatoes
Cucumber
Cheddar cheese–or Colby Jack, mozzarella pearls, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack
Corn–canned or frozen
Garlic powder
Coarse black pepper

Steps

Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Place pasta in a strainer and run cold water over it until it is cool.

Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Stir in ¾ of the bottle of dressing and the remaining ingredients.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hour to overnight. When ready to serve stir in the remaining dressing. Serve and enjoy!

Notes/Tips

Serve alongside burgers, grilled chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, sloppy joes, hot dogs, ribs or BBQ chicken. It’s also perfect for potlucks and picnics. This recipe is easy to double if you’re feeding a large family reunion, cabin crowd or neighborhood BBQ.
This is an ideal make-ahead recipe. It actually tastes better after chilling for several hours or overnight.
Feel free to add extras like sliced black olives, diced red bell pepper, red onion, banana peppers or pickles.
Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook it just until al dente so it stays firm after being dressed. Rinse the cooked pasta with cold water to stop the cooking and cool it quickly.
Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Other recipes you can make with pepperoni are Slow Cooker Pepperoni Pizza Chili and Slow Cooker Baked Ziti with Pepperoni.

Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.

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