This Pizza Pasta Salad is the perfect recipe to make and bring to a potluck.  The recipe includes all of the ingredients that go into making a fully loaded pizza!

Watch the video showing you how to make Pizza Pasta Salad, then scroll to the bottom of this post and print out the complete recipe so you can make it at home!

Pizza Pasta Salad was created with pizza in mind.  Instead of crust, it begins with shell pasta.  I like to use the small shell pasta because it makes it more similar to a macaroni salad.  Plenty of vegetables are added in.  Bell Peppers, mushrooms, tomato and green onions are my choice.  The beauty of it is if you do not care for one of these veggies, you can simply leave it out or sub in something else.

In true pizza fashion, I also include pepperoni, olives and plenty of garlic and oregano.  Again, add or substitute what you like.  There are so many good toppings for pizza, so you have lots of room for creativity.  I’ve thought about using prosciutto in place of pepperoni once or twice.

It wouldn’t be pizza without cheese, so you’ll add in some shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan.  Bottled Italian dressing brings the whole salad together.

I like to make the salad completely (dressing and all) and then refrigerate it for a few hours to let the flavors come together.  If you do this, note that the pasta will suck up the dressing.  That’s perfectly okay, but you’ll want to add in another cup of salad dressing just before serving.  Or if it makes things easier, you can just wait to add the dressing until just before serving the salad.

Tip:  My favorite bottled Italian salad dressing brands are Litehouse, Ken’s, Newman’s Own or Girard’s.  Whichever one of those is on sale the day I’m shopping for Italian salad dressing wins out on being purchased!

This recipe makes a LOT.  If you’re having a small gathering (like 4 people), you might want to cut the recipe in half or you’ll end up with mega leftovers.  If you’re having loads of people over for a barbecue (or if you’re headed to a potluck), you’ll be really happy with this salad.  This big bowl of Pizza Pasta Salad will easily feed 12+ people.

It’s one of those salad recipes where everyone will be asking you for the recipe.  And it’s always a bit hit!

If you are looking for additional recipes that would also be great for a potluck, you might like to try Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars or Potluck Potato Salad.  Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad and Pineapple Dream Dessert are also good choices.

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