Pizza Pasta Salad with pepperoni, peppers, tomatoes, and mozzarella balls is super easy–and perfect for tailgates. Minimal chopping is required and you can mix and match ingredients.

A bowl of pasta salad with pepperoni and other pizza toppings with a wooden spoon on the side.

If we’re tailgating then you can bet I’m bringing along this Pizza Pasta Salad. It’s one of the simplest recipes I have, yet everyone devours it! Teenagers especially love this dish, but adults are right there gobbling it up as well.

Pizza pasta salad tweaks

You might make a fancy version of this easy pasta salad for girlfriends, with fresh spinach, goat cheese, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and sundried tomatoes. Or kid-friendly with just pepperoni and cheese!

You can really tweak this recipe to suit the occasion and the audience. Use different pastas, cheeses, vegetables, and meats and make it your own.

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Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta Saladhands down my favorite pasta salad EVER! A simple accompaniment to turn this into an easy dinner is Air Fryer Hot Pockets — a favorite among my grandchildren.

Tools

You don’t need any special tools for this Pizza Pasta Salad recipe, but I’ve gathered a few things that I love to use:

Stainless steel bowl with ingredients for pizza pasta salad.

Tips

  • Don’t rinse the pasta. The only time you should rinse pasta is when making a cold pasta salad to stop the cooking process. See Pasta 101: How to Cook Perfect Pasta.
  • Storage: store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • You can make the Pizza Pasta Salad ahead of time but don’t add the dressing until ready to serve.
A serving of pizza pasta salad on a white plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Pizza Pasta Salad

Pizza Pasta Salad with pepperoni, peppers, tomatoes, and mozzarella balls is super easy–and perfect for tailgates. Minimal chopping is required and you can mix and match ingredients.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
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Ingredients 

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked pasta
  • 1 pkg mini pepperoni slices
  • 1 cup sliced grape tomatoes
  • 1 cup chopped bell peppers
  • ½ cup chopped green onions
  • ½ cup banana peppers
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • ¼ cup julienned fresh basil
  • 1 cup mozzarella balls
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions 

  • Place cooked, rinsed, and drained pasta in a large bowl.
  • Add other ingredients and then stir in dressing.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Tips for the Best Pizza Pasta Salad

Try to keep the ratio to about 4 cups pasta/3-4 cups toppings/1-1/2 cups dressing. 

Nutrition

Serving: 12servings, Calories: 187kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 369mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Calories: 187
Keyword: easy pasta salad, pasta salad recipe, pizza pasta salad
Love this recipe?Mention @southernfoodandfun or tag #southernfoodandfun!

Update Notes: This post was originally published February 11, 2013, and on August 2, 2019, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a white T-shirt and dark jeans, stands in a kitchen with a brick backsplash and stainless steel appliances. She is smiling and resting her hands on the counter.

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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