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Creamy Italian Pasta Salad – Best Easy Side Dish

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This creamy Italian pasta salad is the perfect side dish for potlucks, barbecues, and lazy Sunday lunches. With tender rotini, savory salami, crisp veggies, and a tangy homemade dressing, it’s a crowd-pleaser that tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
  • 8 oz Genoa salami, diced
  • 8 oz provolone cheese, cubed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium English cucumber, diced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rotini and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  2. Rinse and cool: Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse immediately with cold water until cool to the touch. Shake well to remove excess water and let sit for 5 minutes to drain completely.
  3. Prep the vegetables: While the pasta cooks, dice the salami, cube the provolone, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell pepper, finely chop the red onion, slice the olives, and chop the parsley. Keep everything separate until ready to assemble.
  4. Make the dressing: In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Whisk or shake until completely smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  5. Combine everything: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, salami, provolone, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, and most of the parsley. Reserve a little parsley for garnish.
  6. Add the dressing: Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together gently but thoroughly until every piece is coated.
  7. Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to meld.
  8. Final touch: Before serving, give the pasta salad a good stir. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Sprinkle the reserved parsley on top for a fresh finish.

Notes

Don’t skip rinsing the pasta with cold water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. For best results, let the salad rest overnight in the fridge. Reserve about 1/4 cup of dressing to stir in before serving if making ahead, as pasta absorbs dressing over time. Use full-fat mayo and yogurt for the creamiest texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: creamy Italian pasta salad, easy pasta salad, potluck side dish, cold pasta salad, Italian dressing pasta salad

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