Pepperoni pizza-style pasta salad
- Preparation 20 min
- Cooking 12 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🍕 The pasta salad that tastes like pepperoni pizza
This one is a total crowd magnet. A pasta salad that tastes exactly like a good all-dressed pepperoni pizza, with crispy pepperoni, melty cheese and a creamy dressing built on real pizza sauce. The kind of bowl that disappears in ten minutes on a table and will get you seriously hooked. Everyone always goes back for seconds, guaranteed.
🥓 The secret: crispy pepperoni
The trick that changes everything is cooking the pepperoni in a dry pan until it gets crispy, almost like little charcuterie chips. Let it cool, then add it at the very end so it keeps its crunch. Combined with the creamy pizza dressing (Greek yogurt, mayo, pizza sauce, a touch of honey and oregano), it gives you exactly the taste of your favourite slice, cold and satisfying.
🎉 Perfect year-round, the ultimate potluck champion
This isn’t just a summer thing. This salad is just as good in a lunch box in January as it is on a BBQ table in July. It travels well, can be made ahead, and always makes a statement at a potluck or a party. Kids love it, adults love it, and it feeds a big crowd without any fuss.
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🥓 Crispy pepperoni is the key
Cook it in a dry pan until it gets crispy like little chips, then drain it on a paper towel. Always add it at the very end, right before serving. Otherwise it softens in the dressing and you lose the best part of the salad.
🍅 Build the dressing on real pizza sauce
That’s what gives it the pizza flavour. My Homemade pizza sauce is perfect here, but a good store-bought sauce works too. The Greek yogurt lightens everything up and keeps the dressing creamy without being heavy.
🧊 Rinse the pasta well under cold water
This stops the cooking and removes excess starch, so the rotini stay firm and don’t stick together. Let them cool slightly before mixing. Never add the dressing while the pasta is still hot, or it will break and the cheese will melt.
🧀 Be generous with the cheese
The shredded Tex-Mex cheese blend melts just enough when it hits the warm pasta and gives that cheesy pizza vibe. Don’t hesitate to throw in an extra handful. Nobody has ever complained about too much cheese.
⏱️ Make it ahead
You can assemble everything a few hours in advance and keep the crispy pepperoni separately in a container. When it’s time to serve, just add it in and you’re good to go. No effort, no stress.
✅ What to serve with my pepperoni pizza-style pasta salad?
It works great as a main dish, but also as a sharing salad on a big table alongside my Legendary Tex Mex Pasta Salad or my Chimichurri pasta salad. For a full BBQ party spread, serve it alongside a Cheese and sausage pizza with grilled tomato sauce to go all the way with the theme.
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Salad
- 454 g of rotini (dry pasta)
- 175 g of sliced pepperoni
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- ½ English cucumber, diced
- 1 cup (250 ml) of shredded Tex-Mex cheese blend
Dressing
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) of 0% Greek yogurt
- 5 tbsp (75 ml) of light mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) of homemade or store-bought pizza sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) of honey
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp (5 ml) of dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper
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Preparation
- Cook the rotini according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, cook the pepperoni in a dry pan over medium heat until crispy. Drain on a paper towel and let cool completely.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, pizza sauce, honey, garlic, oregano and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the slightly cooled rotini, red bell pepper, red onion, cucumber and cheese blend. Pour in the dressing and toss until everything is well coated.
- Add the crispy pepperoni just before serving so it keeps all its crunch. Serve cold.
Yes, and it’s actually a great idea. Assemble the salad a few hours in advance and keep the crispy pepperoni on the side. Add it only when you’re ready to serve so it stays crunchy. The salad keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
The trick is to cook it in a dry pan until it crisps up, drain it well, then add it at the very last minute. If you mix it into the dressing ahead of time, it will soften and lose all its appeal.
A shredded Tex-Mex cheese blend is ideal. It melts just enough when it hits the warm pasta and gives that cheesy pizza vibe. You can also go with shredded mozzarella or an Italian blend depending on what you have on hand.
No, a creamy pasta salad like this one cannot be frozen. The yogurt and mayonnaise dressing will separate when frozen and the vegetables will turn mushy after thawing. It’s best enjoyed fresh, within 3 days.
It holds its own as a main dish, but it also shines in a potluck spread alongside my legendary tex mex pasta salad, my chimichurri pasta salad or a grilled asparagus pasta salad.
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