By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 4, 2026
Serves 12
78 cal · 25 min
Pizza Pasta Salad
Recipe GLPRf4c914f122daae
A vibrant chilled pasta salad inspired by classic pizza flavors. Spiral pasta is tossed with a simple herb and garlic dressing, then combined with fresh vegetables, mozzarella cheese, and sliced pepperoni. Perfect as a side dish, appetizer, or light snack at gatherings.
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Ingredients
½ tsp salt, divided
8 oz spiral pasta (such as Cellentani)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried basil
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced
½ c shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
¼ c sliced turkey pepperoni
Directions
Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Add the spiral pasta and ½ tsp salt to the boiling water. Stir gently and cook uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and cooked through.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, basil, and remaining salt in a large bowl until combined.
When the pasta is done, carefully drain it in a colander. Immediately place the drained pasta in a bowl filled with ice water and stir gently for 1–2 minutes to cool it quickly and stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly in the colander again.
Transfer the cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing and toss gently until all pasta is lightly coated.
Just before serving, add the diced green pepper, diced onion, diced tomato, shredded mozzarella cheese, and sliced pepperoni to the pasta. Toss gently to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Comments
Every ingredient is standard stock at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart—no special trips required—and a 12-serving batch runs roughly $18–22 total, or $1.50–$1.85 per serving, making it solid weeknight value. The 25-minute claim is honest for boiling pasta and chopping vegetables if you work methodically, though a home cook will likely need 30 minutes including cooling the pasta slightly. This is a no-fuss cold salad that feeds a crowd, requires zero active cooking once the pasta is done, and reheats adequately cold from the fridge, though it's best eaten same-day or the next day before the pepperoni oils the lettuce and sogginess sets in. It's a straightforward crowd-pleaser without fussiness, ideal for picnics or casual dinners, but it's not remarkable enough to break into the highest tier because the outcome hinges entirely on vegetable quality and the recipe lacks any real flavor anchor beyond oregano.
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