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    Best Ever Balsamic Pasta Salad Recipe

    Published: Jul 27, 2023 by Vicky · This post contains affiliate links.

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    Do you love a good pasta salad? I am not a huge fan of mayo-based pasta salads, but I love ones that use dressing. My favorite thing about pasta salads is how easy they are to make. This Balsamic Pasta Salad Recipe comes together in just minutes once you cook the pasta. The balsamic vinegar flavor really complements the cheese and pepperoni. This is the perfect summertime side dish to bring to a cookout.

    pasta salad on plate
    Jump to:
    • ⭐Why this Balsamic Pasta Salad Recipe is awesome
    • 🥣Salad Ingredient Notes
    • 📋How to make this balsamic vinaigrette pasta salad
    • 👩🏻‍🍳Expert Tips
    • 🤷🏻‍♀️Recipe FAQs
    • 🍝 Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    ⭐Why this Balsamic Pasta Salad Recipe is awesome

    • This easy pasta salad comes together quickly and just requires a few basic ingredients.
    • Great for potlucks or parties!
    • You can make it the day before serving. The flavors really meld together overnight.

    🥣Salad Ingredient Notes

    • Cooked Noodles - any short noodle of your choice.
    • Cheddar Cheese
    • Shredded Parmesan Cheese
    • Pepperoni Stick - Adds a little kick!
    • Bottle Balsamic Dressing - Can also use light dressing.
    pepperoni, pasta, Parmesan and cheddar cheese

    📋How to make this balsamic vinaigrette pasta salad

    To make this balsamic pasta salad, start by cooking your pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water. Set the pasta aside in a large bowl so it can cool.

    Now slice the pepperoni stick and block of cheddar cheese into bite-sized chunks. Add to the bowl with the cooked pasta. You are almost done, can you believe it? I told you this was easy.

    The pepperoni gives the salad a bit of a kick. If you are interested in a more mild salad, you can substitute an equal amount of salami stick for the pepperoni.

    pasta salad with dressing

    Now it is time to add the shredded Parmesan cheese to the bowl. You can buy a block of Parmesan cheese and shred it yourself, or you can just take a supermarket shortcut and buy shredded Parmesan cheese. That is not cheating!

    pasta salad ingredients

    Pour the entire bottle of balsamic vinaigrette dressing into the bowl and mix well. I like using the dressing since the work is done for me and I don't have to measure and mix the olive oil and the regular balsamic vinegar.

    pouring dressing on pasta salad


    Cover the salad and refrigerate it for an hour.

    Feel free to garnish with some fresh basil leaves. Your guests are seriously going to gobble this up. It makes a great side dish for a BBQ or cookout. It really is the best pasta salad recipe. Be sure to also try this Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe.!

    balsamic pasta salad.

    Enjoy!

    pasta salad on a spoon

    👩🏻‍🍳Expert Tips

    Tip 1: I like using rotini pasta because the curls really hold the dressing well, but feel free to use whatever short pasta you have on hand. Penne, farfalle, and cavatappi pasta also work well.

    Tip 2: You can also use sliced pepperoni in place of the chunks of pepperoni stick.

    🤷🏻‍♀️Recipe FAQs

    What vegetables can I add to this pasta salad?

    If you want to give this salad a little more bulk, you can add tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and onions.

    How can I add protein to this salad?

    This salad is delicious with grilled chicken breast. Simply grill the chicken in extra virgin olive oil, slice, and mix into the pasta salad.

    How do I store this salad?

    This salad tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had a chance to meld. You can store it by covering it with plastic wrap and refrigerating it for up to 3 days.

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      Weight Watchers Pasta Salad with Sweet Potatoes
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      Italian Tortellini Salad

    🌟If you try this recipe, leave a star rating below or a review in the comment section. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to get my latest recipes! When you sign up you get The 5 Essential Recipes All Busy Moms Need.

    📖 Recipe

    balsamic pasta salad recipe 12 blog

    Balsamic Pasta Salad Recipe

    This Balsamic Pasta Salad Recipe comes together in just minutes once you cook the pasta. The balsamic flavor really complements the cheese and pepperoni. This is the perfect summertime side dish to bring to a cookout. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 572kcal
    Author: Vicky

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz Box Cooked Noodles (rotini)
    • 8 oz Block Cheddar Cheese
    • 1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
    • 8 oz Pepperoni Stick
    • 16 oz Bottle Balsamic Dressing

    Instructions

    • Slice your pepperoni stick & block of cheese into bite sized pieces.
    • Take a large bowl and pour in your cooked noodles.
    • Toss in your bite sized cheddar cheese, pepperoni pieces & Parmesan cheese.
    • Pour in the entire bottle of balsamic dressing.
    • Mix well.
    • Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
    • Serve & enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    • I like using rotini pasta because the curls really hold the dressing well, but feel free to use whatever short pasta you have on hand. Penne, farfalle, and cavatappi pasta also work well.
    • You can also use sliced pepperoni in place of the chunks of pepperoni stick.
    This nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using online calculators. Your nutritional information may vary depending on numerous factors.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 702mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 294mg | Iron: 1mg
    Try this Recipe! Pin it for Later.Mention @vickycat or tag #messforless!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vicky

      September 14, 2023 at 1:18 pm

      The balsamic vinegar would be too strong on it's own. You need the olive oil that is found in the dressing. You are welcome to make your own balsamic dressing. I really like this recipe: https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/best-balsamic-vinaigrette/

    2. Amy

      September 13, 2023 at 10:19 pm

      Can I use balsamic vinegar instead of a dressing?

    3. Ivana

      July 15, 2019 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      Making this tonight to go with some grilled pork chops, can't wait!

    4. Beth Pierce

      July 15, 2019 at 11:35 am

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe! So quick and easy and delicious too! My kids loved every bite!

    5. Sapana

      July 15, 2019 at 10:48 am

      5 stars
      I love how simple and easy this is to make! And that dressing sounds so good - I love a great balsamic dressing!

    Leave a Reply

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    Hi, I'm Vicky, the founder and content creator at Mess For Less. If you are looking for family-friendly recipes, recipes that kids can make, and play and learning activities for kids, you will find them at Mess For Less. I invite you to learn more about me. Thanks for stopping by!

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