McCormick Pasta Salad with Salad Supreme Seasoning

This McCormick pasta salad is a chilled, American-style rotini salad tossed with Italian dressing, crisp vegetables, and McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning. It works well for potlucks and make-ahead meals because the pasta holds its shape, the vegetables add crunch, and a short chill lets the dressing and seasoning flavor each bite.

Ingredients

1 lb (454 g) rotini pasta
4 qt (3.8 L) water, for boiling the pasta
1 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) Italian dressing, divided
2 tbsp (about 18 g) McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning
1 1/2 cups (225 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups (about 200 g) cucumber, diced; peel it if the skin is especially thick
1 cup (150 g) red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup (75 g) red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup (75 g) sliced black olives, drained
1 cup (150 g) mozzarella, cut into small cubes
4 oz (113 g) sliced pepperoni, cut into quarters, optional
2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley, optional
1/4 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

Boil the pasta water. Bring the water and kosher salt to a boil in a large pot. Use a pot with enough room for the pasta to move freely; crowded pasta can cook unevenly and stick together. While the water heats, rinse and chop the vegetables, cut the mozzarella, and prepare the optional pepperoni. Keeping the vegetables in bite-size pieces makes the salad easier to serve and gives each forkful a good mix.
Cook the rotini. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions, usually about 9 to 11 minutes, until just tender but still pleasantly firm. Stir once or twice during cooking. Check a piece near the shortest suggested cooking time; pasta that is too soft can break when you toss it with dressing and will soften further as it chills.
Drain and cool. Drain the pasta thoroughly in a colander, then rinse briefly under cool running water until it is no longer warm. This stops the cooking and removes surface starch that can make the salad gummy. Shake the colander well and let the pasta drain for a minute. Excess water dilutes the dressing, so do not transfer wet pasta straight into the mixing bowl.
Season the pasta. Put the cooled, drained rotini in a large bowl. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of the Italian dressing and the Salad Supreme seasoning, then toss until the spirals are evenly coated. Starting with most, rather than all, of the dressing leaves some available to refresh the salad later. Taste a piece before adding extra salt: the seasoning, dressing, olives, and pepperoni can all contribute saltiness.
Add the vegetables and cheese. Fold in the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, mozzarella, and pepperoni if using. Add the parsley and black pepper. Toss gently with a large spoon or flexible spatula so the vegetables stay intact and the cheese does not crumble. Scrape the bottom of the bowl as you toss, where dressing and seasoning can collect.
Chill before serving. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour. This gives the seasoning time to flavor the pasta and lets the salad become properly cold. Before serving, toss again and check the texture. If the pasta has absorbed much of the dressing, add some or all of the remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml), a tablespoon at a time, until it looks lightly coated rather than soupy.
Adjust and serve. Taste a final forkful and add a little more black pepper or dressing if needed. The salad can be served straight from the refrigerator. If it has been sitting out during a meal, return leftovers to the refrigerator promptly rather than leaving the bowl at room temperature.

Tips

Cook to just tender. Rotini should be cooked through but not soft. Follow the package time as a guide and taste a piece, since brands and pasta shapes can vary. Rinsing after draining is useful here because the pasta is served cold; it cools the noodles quickly and helps prevent them from clumping.
Drain carefully. Water left in the pasta or on washed vegetables can thin the dressing and mute the seasoning. Let the pasta drain well, and pat especially wet cucumber or tomatoes dry. If using tomatoes with a lot of juice, halve them just before mixing so they do not release as much liquid while the salad chills.
Balance the seasoning after chilling. Cold food can taste less intensely seasoned than warm food, and pasta absorbs dressing as it rests. Chill first, then taste and add the reserved dressing gradually. Add salt only after tasting; the seasoning blend, olives, dressing, and optional pepperoni may make additional salt unnecessary.
Use convenient swaps thoughtfully. Short shapes such as fusilli, penne, or farfalle can replace rotini in the same quantity. If you do not have Salad Supreme seasoning, use an Italian-style seasoning blend as a substitute, starting with 1 tablespoon (about 3 g) and adding to taste; it will give a more herb-forward flavor and will not exactly reproduce the original seasoning blend.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this pasta salad cold as a side for grilled chicken, burgers, sandwiches, or a picnic-style meal. Its tangy dressing and crunchy vegetables pair particularly well with simply seasoned main dishes, while the mozzarella and optional pepperoni make it substantial enough to sit alongside a spread of other salads and snacks. For a buffet, transfer it to a chilled serving bowl and put out a clean serving spoon so guests do not use their plates to serve themselves.

For a balanced-looking bowl, reserve a few tomato halves, pepper pieces, and parsley leaves before tossing everything together, then scatter them over the top just before serving. If you are taking the salad to a gathering, carry it in a covered container in an insulated cooler with ice packs and set out a smaller portion at a time. Keep the rest chilled until it is needed. This is a cold pasta salad, so it does not need reheating; a quick toss before serving helps redistribute the dressing.

Variations

Make it vegetarian: Leave out the pepperoni. Add another 1/2 cup (75 g) of mozzarella, or use drained chickpeas for a more filling variation. Chickpeas have a softer, earthier bite than pepperoni, so taste the salad after chilling and adjust the pepper or dressing if you like. Check the dressing and seasoning labels if you need to avoid a particular ingredient.

Change the vegetables: Replace some or all of the cucumber with 1 cup (about 150 g) of chopped broccoli florets, blanched for 1 to 2 minutes and cooled, or use diced celery for extra crunch. Thinly sliced scallions can stand in for red onion if you want a gentler onion flavor. Keep the total amount of vegetables close to the recipe quantity so the pasta still gets evenly coated.

Try a different cheese or pasta: Small cubes of provolone or mild cheddar can replace mozzarella, bringing a firmer texture and a more pronounced flavor. Use a sturdy short pasta rather than long strands, which are awkward to toss and serve. Gluten-free rotini also works; cook it according to its package instructions and handle it gently, since some gluten-free pastas become fragile after cooling.

Adjust the dressing style: A creamy Italian dressing can be used in place of the standard Italian dressing for a richer, less sharp salad. Begin with 1 cup (240 ml), chill, and add the reserved amount only if needed. The creamy version may cling more heavily to the pasta, so it can need less dressing overall. Keep the seasoning amount the same at first, then taste before adding more.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate the salad in a covered, airtight container within 2 hours of making it, or within 1 hour if the surrounding temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Keep the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder. With the vegetables and cheese in this recipe, the salad is best within 3 days and can generally be kept for up to 3 to 4 days when promptly chilled and handled cleanly. Discard it if it has been left out beyond the safe time or if you are unsure how long it was unrefrigerated.

The pasta will absorb dressing as it sits, so the salad may look drier the next day. Before serving, stir in a tablespoon or two of Italian dressing and taste again; avoid adding a large amount all at once. For the best texture, add parsley shortly before serving if you are preparing the salad well ahead. Freezing is not recommended: cucumber and tomatoes turn watery when thawed, and the pasta and cheese can lose their pleasant texture. Do not reheat this salad; serve it chilled.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning?

It is a branded seasoning blend used here to give the pasta and dressing a savory, seasoned flavor. It is not the same as plain Italian seasoning, so a dried-herb blend is only a practical substitute, not an exact match. Because seasoning blends and bottled dressings can vary in saltiness, taste the finished salad before adding extra salt.

Can I make this pasta salad the day before?

Yes. Prepare it, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight. For the freshest texture, you can hold back the parsley and some of the dressing, then stir them in shortly before serving. Give the salad a thorough toss after chilling, since the dressing settles and the pasta absorbs some of it while it rests.

Should I rinse pasta for pasta salad?

For a cold pasta salad, rinsing briefly with cool water is helpful: it stops the cooking, cools the rotini, and washes away some surface starch. Drain it well afterward so the remaining water does not dilute the dressing. For a hot pasta dish, rinsing is usually unnecessary because the starch can help sauce cling to the noodles.

Can I use bottled dressing other than Italian?

Yes. A vinaigrette-style dressing with a mild tang is the closest fit, and creamy Italian dressing is another option. Strongly sweet or heavily flavored dressings can compete with the Salad Supreme seasoning, so start with 1 cup (240 ml), chill the salad, and add more only after tasting. The exact amount needed depends on the dressing and how much the pasta absorbs.

How do I keep the salad from getting dry?

Reserve some dressing and add it after the salad has chilled, when you can see how much the pasta has absorbed. Toss thoroughly before deciding whether it needs more. A small addition is usually enough; adding too much can leave dressing pooled at the bottom. If the salad is already dressed and has been stored overnight, a tablespoon at a time is a useful way to restore its lightly coated texture.

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