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Pizza Pasta Salad

All the flavors of pizza, but in a pasta salad! A perfect pot luck or picnic dish!

Course Salad, Side Dish
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 8
Author Laura Doerr

Ingredients

For the Dressing

  • 1 bulb garlic
  • olive oil drizzle
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup Zesty Italian vinaigrette
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tbsp Calabrian chili paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

For the Salad

  • 1 lb short cut pasta
  • 1 cup tomatoes chopped
  • 1 green pepper chopped
  • 1 cup banana peppers
  • 1 cup peppadew peppers
  • 8 oz mini mozzarella balls
  • 4 oz mini pepperonis
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil sliced into ribbons
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan plus more for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove as much of the outer paper skins from the bulb of garlic. Slice the tops off, not the bottom where it's holding all the cloves together. Place bulb on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Wrap in foil, and bake for 30-45 minutes or until soft and golden brown. It should be like a soft paste consistency. Allow to cool slightly, and squeeze garlic cloves out of skins.

  2. Whisk all dressing ingredients together, including the roasted garlic. Set aside.

  3. Cook pasta according to package instructions to al dente, or just under. You want there to still be a chewy bite to the pasta, or it will become mush, and break apart. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water.

  4. In a large mixing bowl combine all salad ingredients, and almost all dressing. Stir until well combined. Reserve a bit of dressing to use just before serving as the pasta will absorb as it sits. Allow to chill for at least an hour. Add additional dressing before serving.

Recipe Notes

It's important to not overcook the pasta or it will become mushy. Any short cut pasta shape will work. Best served the day you make it once chilled, but will keep a couple days in the fridge.

If you want to make it the day before, just don't add the dressing until about an hour before serving.