Looking for a quick and delicious dish everyone will love? This Pizza Pasta Salad is a game-changer! With just 4 ingredients—gluten-free pasta, mozzarella chunks, mini pepperoni, and Olive Garden Italian dressing—it’s perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, or picnics. Simple, flavorful, and ready in minutes!
This simple pasta salad is such as fun way to put a fresh spin on traditional pasta salad. Similar to our Gluten Free Pasta Salad recipe, kids love all the ingredients that are featured. Plus, it is totally customizable so if additional toppings are desired, we have a list ready for you to pick from.
You can also easily turn this into a protein pasta salad by featuring a whole protein or incorporating a protein-rich pasta such as chickpea or lentil pasta. This is one of the reasons we love this recipe because it can serve as either a side dish or an entree. During busy seasons, this is a meal that is not only a household favorite, but a time saver as well.
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The Ultimate Game Day Snack
Serve this pizza pasta salad recipe for your next game day potluck to impress all your guests. It is a great alternative to traditional pizza and pairs perfectly with other appetizers. A single batch makes 8 servings, which can easily be doubled if feeding a larger crowd. Best of all, you can make the night before the big day!
Looking for other game day snacks? Check out Crockpot Queso, Gluten Free Chicken Wings and Taco Dip with Ground Beef.
Ingredients in Pasta Salad
- 16 ounces gluten-free pasta
- 8 ounces pepperoni ✅ we used mini pepperoni
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese cubed
- 12 ounces Italian Dressing ✅ we used Olive Garden
Gluten-Free Guide: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.
How To Make 4 Ingredient Pasta Salad
Start by bringing a pan of water to a boil then cook the pasta per box instructions. Stir occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking together. Once cooked to your preferred texture (al dente is best for pasta salad), drain and let cool. Rinsing the noodles under cold water will stop the cooking process and cool it quicker.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold pasta, pepperoni, cubed cheese, and Italian Dressing. If using regular slices of pepperoni, we suggest cutting into smaller pieces for easy bites. Fresh mozzarella is also a delicious choice to swap for the cubed cheese.
Pour in the Italian dressing – we used about 3/4 of the bottle. You can adjust to your liking by adding more or less depending on preference. Stir together gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Garnish the top with Italian seasoning, grated Parmesan or a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired. Serve chilled.
Pizza Pasta Salad Toppings
Additional toppings to consider stirring into the pasta salad to customize the recipe:
- Olives: sliced black or green for a tangy bite.
- Bell peppers: diced red, green, yellow or orange for crunch and color.
- Cherry tomatoes: halved for a juicy addition.
- Onion: thinly sliced or diced red onion for more flavor.
- Vegetables: mushrooms, spinach, zucchini are other fresh options.
- Meat: shredded or diced grilled chicken to boost the protein.
Serving Suggestions
Pizza pasta salad is an ideal side dish for grilled burgers, bbq chicken, wings, sliders and so much more. You can pair with tomato or minestrone soup or serve alongside a green salad. It can also be a sidekick to actual pizza night.
When serving to kids, using small cups or bowls can make it easier for little hands. For the adults in the room, consider setting out the extra toppings so each person can customize their serving.
Keep in mind that this salad is best served chilled, and if made the night before, stir before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, pasta salad can be healthy! Enhance the nutritional value by adding veggies (bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes), lean protein (grilled chicken) and healthy fats (olives). You can also opt for a chickpea or lentil based pasta for extra fiber and nutrients.
Yes! Make a day ahead then store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to serve.
The best pasta is one that holds its shape once cooked. We prefer rotini as the spiral shape can catch dressing and other toppings nicely. Penne and bow tie are other shaped pastas that work well for pasta salads. Regardless of the pasta shape, slightly undercooking pasta (al dente) can help all pasta hold its shape and texture when mixed and chilled.
- Encourage young chefs to practice their knife skills by slicing regular sized pepperoni into smaller bites and cubing the mozzarella cheese with supervision.
- Pasta salad is a fantastic way for picky eaters to try a new food, especially vegetables. Pick 1 or 2 vegetables such as bell peppers and cherry tomatoes and incorporate into the mix. Bonus Tip: the smaller you dice the vegetable, the harder it will be to pick it out!
- Interested in teaching your kids how to make a homemade Italian dressing? Here is a simple Easy Homemade Italian Dressing recipe.
Storing Pasta Salad
Transfer any leftover pasta to an airtight container or if storing in the mixing bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
If prepping in advance, store the dressing separately and toss it with the salad just before serving. This prevents the pasta from absorbing too much dressing and becoming soggy.
For leftover pasta that has been tossed with dressing, consume within 3 days. We do not recommend freezing pasta salad as the ingredients do not freeze well.
More Gluten Free Pasta Recipes
- Parmesan Ground Chicken Pasta
- Taco Pasta Bake
- Baked Chicken Ziti Casserole
- Easy Creamy Pasta Bake
- Gluten-Free Baked Ziti
Pizza Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces gluten-free pasta
- 8 ounces pepperoni ✅ we used mini pepperoni
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese cubed
- 12 ounces Italian Dressing ✅ we used Olive Garden
Instructions
- ⭐️Cook the pasta. Bring a pan of water to a boil and cook the pasta per box instructions. Drain and let cool.16 ounces gluten-free pasta
- Combine the ingredients. Add the cold pasta, pepperoni, cubed cheese, and Italian Dressing. We used about 3/4 of the bottle of Italian dressing. You can adjust to your liking. Stir well.8 ounces pepperoni, 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, 12 ounces Italian Dressing
- Serve. Serve cold.
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Notes
- Olives: sliced black or green for a tangy bite.
- Bell peppers: diced red, green, yellow or orange for crunch and color.
- Cherry tomatoes: halved for a juicy addition.
- Onion: thinly sliced or diced red onion for more flavor.
- Vegetables: mushrooms, spinach, zucchini are other fresh options.
- Meat: shredded or diced grilled chicken to boost the protein.
Nutrition
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