Easy Pizza Pasta Salad
by Amanda Keefer
Ready for an easy make-ahead pasta salad that’s perfect for lunchboxes? This Easy Pizza Pasta Salad is loaded with all of your favorite pizza toppings and is great for lunch boxes or as a side dish! Full of fresh veggies like tomatoes, peppers and onions! What is great is you can add in any of your favorite toppings to help customize to your family’s liking. Best part, this Summer salad recipe can be ready in about 20 minutes!
The kids can even get involved in prepping this easy pizza pasta salad by chopping the vegetables and mixing the ingredients. The leftovers pack well in lunchboxes (for the kids and parents) and can be paired with veggies and dip, fruit, or other lunchbox faves for a filling and nutritious meal. We love dipping the leftover pepper slices from this pizza pasta salad in guacamole or homemade hummus.
If you are looking for a fruit dip, my kids love this cream cheese fruit dip and this chocolate yogurt fruit dip. All of your favorite fruits taste even better when dipped, but we especially like dipping grapes, pineapple chunks, strawberries and mandarins. Plus, those all pack well in lunchboxes.
Just want to eat it as a meal? Go for it! Or make to take to all of your Summer gatherings as the perfect side dish that is sure to please.
What is super fun about this recipe is that you really could add whatever other favorite vegetables your family enjoys. You can even spruce it up with some fresh basil or other herbs from the garden, too!
Nutrition Tip: Sweet peppers are a good source of vitamin C, which will help your child soak up the iron in this pasta salad and strengthens the immune system.
How to make this pizza pasta salad?
Step 1: Prepare the pasta
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, rinse and let cool.
Step 2: Mix ingredients together
Next just mix the cooled pasta, cheese, peppers, olives, tomatoes, pepperoni, onion and dressing in large bowl.
Step 3: Assemble lunchbox
If packing in a lunchbox fill with pasta salad, carrots, celery, Ranch and crispy fruit to make a complete meal!
Make sure to PIN it!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How long will this pasta salad last in refrigerator?
Most pasta salads will last in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 3-4 days. Making this pizza pasta salad a great meal-prep idea too!
What other toppings could I add?
You can customize this cold pasta salad with green peppers, banana peppers, basil, salami, turkey pepperoni, or whatever else your family enjoys!
How do you #PowerYourLunchbox? Show us your healthy lunchboxes on Instagram using #PowerYourLunchbox.
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Looking for more lunchbox ideas? We’ve got you covered with 70+ ideas including make-ahead ideas, non-sandwich lunches, ideas for repurposing leftovers, and vegetarian, nut-free and gluten-free recipes.
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Pizza Pasta Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Pizza Pasta Salad
- 1 16 oz. box rotini pasta
- 4 ounces Monterrey jack cheese cubed
- 3 mini sweet peppers sliced
- 1 2.25 oz. can sliced olived, drained
- 3/4 cup Nature Fresh Farms Tomberry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup mini pepperoni slices
- 1/4 small sweet onion chopped
- 1/4 cup Litehouse® Italian dressing
Lunchbox Sides (per serving)
- 1/4 cup baby carrots
- 1 stalk celery cut into 2-inch sections
- 1 1.5 oz. Litehouse® Homestyle Ranch Dip cup
- 1 Crispy Green® crispy fruit
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse and let cool.
- Mix pasta, cheese, peppers, olives, tomatoes, pepperoni, onion and dressing in large bowl.
- Assemble lunchbox with pasta salad, carrots, celery, Ranch and crispy fruit.
