Gluten-Free Pizza Pasta Salad
A hearty pasta salad that captures all the beloved flavors of pizza in a portable, crowd-pleasing format. Cheese tortellini mingles with pepperoni, mozzarella, bell peppers, and tomatoes in a zesty Italian dressing. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or busy weeknight dinners when you want comfort food without the oven. The key is slightly undercooking the tortellini so it maintains its bite after chilling, while the Italian dressing ties everything together with classic pizza shop flavors.
Ingredients
- 20 oz cheese tortellini, package
- ¾ cup Italian dressingbalsamic vinaigrette1:1flavor
different flavor profile
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- ½ cup olives, black or green, sliced
- ½ cup pepperoni, sliced
- 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, diced
- salt and pepper(optional)
- grated Parmesan cheese(optional)
- crushed red pepper flakes(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and add tortellini
- 2
Cook approximately 6 minutes or 3-4 minutes less than package instructions recommend until pasta is firm
- 3
Drain completely then transfer tortellini to a large salad bowl
- 4
Add Italian dressing and toss to coat pasta and prevent sticking
- 5
Refrigerate 1 hour, stirring occasionally until tortellini is cool
- 6
Add tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, pepperoni and diced mozzarella then toss to coat in dressing
- 7
Season to taste with salt and pepper or grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes
- 8
Serve chilled
Tips
Undercook the tortellini by 3-4 minutes so it stays firm after chilling and won't become mushy in the salad
Let the pasta cool completely in the dressing before adding other ingredients to prevent the cheese from melting
Add extra Italian dressing just before serving if the salad looks dry after refrigeration
Good to Know
Refrigerate covered up to 3 days
Can be made 1 day ahead, add extra dressing before serving
Serve chilled from refrigerator
Common Mistakes
Cook pasta fully to avoid mushy texture in salad
Don't add hot pasta to cheese or it will melt into clumps
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
different flavor profile
FAQ
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes, any short pasta like penne, shells, or rotini works well. Just adjust cooking time according to package directions minus 3-4 minutes.
How long does this keep in the refrigerator?
The salad stays fresh for up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator. You may need to add extra dressing before serving.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Absolutely, just omit the pepperoni or substitute with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or additional vegetables.