Pasta Salad for a Crowd
This colorful and flavorful pasta salad is packed with Italian dressing, fresh veggies, and mozzarella cheese, making it perfect for large gatherings. It's easy to prepare ahead of time and tastes even better when chilled, making it a go-to dish for parties, potlucks, and family reunions!
Servings: 100
Calories: 157kcal
Ingredients
- 4 pounds multi-colored rotini pasta
- 64 ounces Italian dressing
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 32 ounces mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes
- 40 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 green bell peppers diced
- 3 red bell peppers diced
- 36 ounces sliced black olives drained
Instructions
Cook the Pasta:
- Cook half of the rotini pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Repeat with the second half of the pasta.
Mix the Salad:
- In a very large bowl, place half of the cooked pasta.
- Pour half of the Italian dressing over the pasta and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Stir well.
- Add half of the mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and black olives. Stir to combine.
- Repeat the process with the remaining pasta, dressing, salt, pepper, and other ingredients. Stir everything together thoroughly.
Store the Salad:
- Divide the pasta salad into 2 or more large foil pans for easier storage. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Chill and Serve:
- For best results, refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 4 hours, preferably 24 hours, to allow the flavors to meld.
- Before serving, check if the pasta salad is dry. If needed, add extra Italian dressing to refresh it. Serve chilled.
- Notes
- Mixing Tip: Working with half a batch at a time makes it easier to combine ingredients evenly.
- Make-Ahead: Preparing the salad a day in advance enhances the flavor.
- Extra Dressing: Keep an additional bottle of Italian dressing on hand to add if the salad dries out before serving.