High Protein Pizza Pasta Salad gives you the taste of pizza in a cold pasta salad that works for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.
Protein rotini, turkey pepperoni, mozzarella pearls, Parmesan cheese, cherry tomatoes, peppers, onions, and olives make each serving filling without turning it into a heavy meal.
The creamy pizza dressing uses Greek yogurt, Italian dressing, marinara sauce, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and seasonings.
It has the familiar tomato and herb taste you expect from pizza, but it coats the pasta like a creamy pasta salad dressing.
Serve this recipe during the summer when you don’t want a hot meal, pack it for work, or make it for a potluck.
You can also divide it into containers for lunches during the week.
Pick up protein pasta, turkey pepperoni, and mozzarella pearls during your regular grocery trip, then keep the remaining pantry ingredients on hand for another batch.
Why You’ll Love This High Protein Pizza Pasta Salad
22 Grams of Protein
Each serving has 22 grams of protein from the protein pasta, turkey pepperoni, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and Greek yogurt.
Pizza-Inspired Taste
Marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, pepperoni, mozzarella, and Parmesan give the pasta salad a familiar pizza taste.
Made for Meal Prep
The pasta salad needs time to cool, which makes it useful for preparing ahead. Divide it into covered containers for weekday lunches.
Served Cold
This cold pasta salad works well during warm weather, at cookouts, or when you want a meal that doesn’t need reheating.
Plenty of Mix-Ins
Tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, olives, banana peppers, and two sizes of turkey pepperoni add different textures to every serving.
Main Dish Pasta Salad
The protein pasta, meat, cheese, and vegetables make this filling enough to serve as a main course.
Ingredient Substitutions
Protein Rotini Pasta
Use another short protein pasta, such as penne, bow ties, or elbows. Regular pasta can also be used, but the amount of protein per serving will change.
Turkey Pepperoni
Use chicken pepperoni or regular pepperoni. Regular pepperoni may add more fat and sodium.
Mozzarella Pearls
Use diced part-skim mozzarella or shredded mozzarella cheese.
Greek Yogurt
Use plain low-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream. Sour cream will make the dressing richer.
Light Italian Dressing
Use regular Italian dressing or a homemade Italian vinaigrette.
Green Bell Pepper
Use red, yellow, or orange bell pepper for a milder taste.
Banana Peppers
Use chopped pepperoncini peppers for a similar tangy taste.
Black Olives
Use sliced green olives, or leave the olives out.
Red Wine Vinegar
Use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Fresh Parsley
Use chopped fresh basil or omit the parsley.
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High Protein Pizza Pasta Salad
Recipes are written with one action per step for accessibility. Short lines. Fewer rereads. A calmer kitchen on mobile or desktop.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces protein rotini pasta
- 4 ounces turkey pepperoni quartered
- 4 ounces part-skim mozzarella pearls halved
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ¾ cup green bell pepper chopped
- ½ cup red onion finely chopped
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup banana peppers chopped
- ⅓ cup mini turkey pepperoni
- 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
For the Pizza Dressing:
- ¼ cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoon light Italian dressing
- 2 tablespoon marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the protein rotini pasta according to the package directions.
- Drain the pasta in a colander. Rinse the pasta under cold water. Drain the pasta well.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the Greek yogurt, Italian dressing, marinara sauce, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt.
- Using a wire whisk, mix until smooth.
- Add the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the quartered turkey pepperoni, mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, green bell pepper, red onion, black olives, banana peppers, mini turkey pepperoni, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
- Pour the pizza dressing over the pasta mixture. Stir until the pasta and other ingredients are evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Stir the pasta salad before serving. Add a small amount of Italian dressing if the pasta salad seems dry.
Notes
Storing and Reheating
Store in the Refrigerator – Place the pasta salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Keep It Cold – Do not leave the pasta salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours.Nutrition
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