One of my favorite pizzas wrapped into one pasta salad! This Hot Honey Pizza Pasta Salad is one of those easy meal ideas I can make on repeat and never get tired of! Made with mini pepperoni, hot honey, creamy mozzarella pearls, and a tangy vinegarette.
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EASY HOT HONEY PIZZA PASTA SALAD
One of my favorite foods of all time is pizza! Plus, when you drizzle hot honey on top, it makes it that much better! Pasta salads are one of my favorite high protein lunch options that I like to make during the summer, because its filling, customizable, and full of flavor!
Summer time means all the delicious pasta salads to make for a quick and easy lunch or dinner idea for those hot days. The crispy mini pepperonis give it the perfect crunch for this delicious cold pasta. A great easy side dish to bring to your next summer holiday cookout! If you love this, you need to try my Pizza Pasta Bake.
WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS HOT HONEY PIZZA PASTA SALAD
Quick & Easy: This easy lunch idea can be made in less than 30 minutes, which makes it a great easy option for those busy summer days with your family.
Delicious: The crunch of the mini pepperonis with the hot honey drizzle, and creamy mozzarella pearls, really bring so much flavor to a classic dish. This pasta salad is always a top request for any summer cookout.
Budget-Friendly: Made with simple ingredients, this is a great budget-friendly dinner option that is great for leftovers.
INGREDIENTS
- Mini Pepperoni: Mini pepperoni adds a savory, slightly crispy bite and gives this pasta salad all the classic pizza flavor.
- Pasta: I used farfalle (bowtie pasta), which holds onto the dressing really well and adds the perfect texture to every bite.
- Cheese: Mozzarella pearls bring a creamy, fresh flavor, while grated parmesan adds a salty, cheesy finish.
- Vegetables: Arugula adds a peppery bite, while fresh basil gives this pasta salad a bright, fresh flavor. Cherry tomatoes add to the delicious pizza flavor.
- Dressing & Seasonings: Minced garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper create a tangy, herby dressing with just the right amount of flavor.
- Hot Honey: Hot honey adds the perfect balance of sweetness and heat, bringing all the pizza-inspired flavors together.
HOW TO MAKE HOT HONEY PIZZA PASTA SALAD
First, cook Farafelle pasta in salted water, according to package directions. Drain in collander, and rinse with cold water to keep pasta from cooking.
Next, add mini pepperonis onto cooking tray and spread eveningly. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, cook pepperonis for 5-7 minutes or until crisp. Once pepperoni is crisp, remove from tray and place on plate with paper towel to drain excess grease.
Combine seasonings, red wine vinegar, olive oil, hot honey, ½ lemon squeezed, and parmesan cheese into mixing bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, add cooked pasta to bottom of bowl. Next add mozzarella pearls, cooked mini pepperonis, arugula, basil, cherry tomatoes, and drizzle dressing over pasta salad.
TIPS & TRICKS
Pasta: When cooking pasta, it is best not to overcook the pasta to prevent it from being mushy. Ideally, you do not want to run cold water over cooked pasta. However, for pasta salads, it is best to run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking process.
Serving: This hot honey pizza pasta salad can be served cold or at room temperature. However, I do not recommend leaving it out of refrigerator for extended period of time. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Hot Honey: If you do not like the spice of the hot honey, you can omit it and continue to make it as directed.
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Hot Honey Pizza Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 baking sheet tray
- 1 large cooking pot
Ingredients
- 5 oz mini pepperonis
- 12 oz dry farafelle pasta or protein pasta
- 10 oz mozzarella pearls
- arugula
- fresh basil
- 1 cup mini cherry tomatoes
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ lemon squeezed
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon hot honey
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- First, cook Farafelle pasta according to package directions. Drain in collander, and rinse with cold water to keep pasta from cooking.
- Next, add mini pepperonis onto cooking tray and spread eveningly. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, cook pepperonis for 5-7 minutes or until crisp. Once pepperoni is crisp, remove from tray and place on plate with paper towel to drain excess grease.
- Combine seasonings, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, hot honey, ½ lemon squeezed and parmesan cheese into mixing bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cooked pasta to bottom of bowl. Next add mozzarella pearls, cooked mini pepperonis, arugula, basil, cherry tomatoes, and drizzle dressing over pasta salad.
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