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Pesto Pizza Pasta Salad

This Pesto Pizza Pasta Salad features curly pasta, a savory dressing, and all of your favorite pizza toppings. It’s the perfect, kid-friendly side dish to take to your next potluck or barbeque!

Pizza pasta salad with cavatappi, olives, pepperoni, and fresh basil in a large cream bowl.

I’ve been trying out some new pasta salad recipes recently and this pizza pasta salad is probably my husband’s new favorite.

My kiddos love it too because it’s one of their favorite foods turned into a pasta salad!

This recipe works because it’s:

  • Full of flavor. The richness from the basil pesto combines with the zesty pepperonis and fresh tomatoes for a flavor explosion.
  • Simple to make. There’s minimal chopping and cooking involved in this pasta salad.
  • Kid-friendly. Turning a popular kid food into a pasta salad means the whole family will enjoy this dish.
  • Perfect for a crowd! This recipe makes a lot and is perfect for your next get together.

This recipe was adapted from Life in the Lofthouse

Step-by-Step Instructions

Pizza pasta salad ingredients in white bowls on white table next to cutting board.

Cook 16 ounces of shaped pasta according to the package directions. Drain once done and rinse with cold water to cool.

Cooked trottole pasta in large metal mixing bowl next to blue and white kitchen towel.

While the pasta is cooking, halve 10 ounces of cherry or grape tomatoes and 40 pepperonis.

Chopped pepperoni, olives and tomatoes in white kitchen prep bowls on white table.

Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and add 1/4 cup of basil pesto and 1¼ cup of Italian dressing. Mix well until the pasta is evenly coated.

Cooked pasta with pesto dressing in large metal mixing bowl with metal spoon.

Add the tomatoes, pepperonis, and 6 ounces of canned olives to the pasta and mix.

Tomatoes, olives, and pepperoni on top of pasta in large metal bowl.

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and 6 cut basil leaves onto the salad and mix gently. Finish the salad with 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Fresh basil and mozzarella on pasta salad in large mixing bowl.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Bowl of pizza pasta salad with pesto dressing poured on top.

You can use any type of shaped pasta for this recipe like rotini, bowtie, cavatappi, or penne. I chose to use trottole.

I recommend using creamy basil pesto in this recipe, but regular basil pesto also works.

Try substituting a cheddar cheese blend for the mozzarella cheese.

There’s really no substitute for the flavor of basil, but you can try these basil substitutes if you’re out.

Additionally, you can try one of these olive substitutes if you don’t like the flavor.

You can add additional pizza toppings like chopped peppers, mushrooms, bacon, and cooked sausage to this pasta salad to take it up a notch.

You can use up to 2 cups of Italian salad dressing if your salad seems too dry. Start with 1¼ cups and add more if needed.

RELATED: How long does pepperoni last in the fridge?

More Like This

Two salad spoons in bowl of pizza pasta salad with pepperoni, tomatoes, and olives.

Looking for more delicious salads to take to your next get together? You’ll love these!

See even more recipes like these (plus mains, desserts, and drinks) at 25+ Family Summer Dinner Ideas.

FAQs

Pizza pasta salad in large tan bowl with fresh basil leaves on table top.
Does pasta salad go well with pizza?

I’d like to think so! Salad is a traditional pizza side dish, and most pasta salads feature some sort of vegetable.

This recipe for pizza pasta salad makes a great side for pizza because of the similar ingredients.

If you’re worried about too many carbs in one meal, you can choose a pasta salad that features a green as well like this chicken Caesar salad with pasta.

How long will this pasta salad stay fresh?

This pasta salad will stay good for 4-5 days refrigerated in an air tight container.

I hope your family loves this pesto pizza pasta salad! If you make it, be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!

 

And if you’d like to get a 4-week meal plan featuring my recipes, just enter your email in the form above and you’ll get it straight to your inbox!

Pizza pasta salad with cavatappi, olives, pepperoni, and fresh basil in a large cream bowl.

Pesto Pizza Pasta Salad

The Ashcroft Family Table
This Pesto Pizza Pasta Salad features curly pasta, a savory dressing, and all of your favorite pizza toppings. It's the perfect, kid-friendly side dish to take to your next potluck or barbeque!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Salads
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 435 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 16 ounces shaped pasta, rotini, bowtie, cavatappi, trottole
  • 10 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 40 pepperonis
  • ¼ cup basil pesto, creamy if possible
  • 1 ¼ cups Italian dressing, *see note
  • 6 ounces canned olives
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 6 basil leaves, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain once done and rinse with cold water to cool.
  • While the pasta is cooking, halve the tomatoes and pepperoni.
  • Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and add basil pesto and Italian dressing. Mix well until the pasta is evenly coated.
  • Add the tomatoes, pepperonis, and olives to the pasta and mix.
  • Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and fresh basil onto the salad and mix gently. Finish the salad with grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

*You can use up to 2 cups of Italian salad dressing if your salad seems too dry. Start with 1¼ cups and add more if needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 941mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 559IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword pasta salad to go with pizza, pepperoni pasta salad, pizza pasta salad, pizza pasta salad recipe
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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating