Need to put that leftover pasta to use? This pizza pasta salad is an easy school lunch idea you can prepare ahead and keep on hand for a simple lunch kids will love.
This lunch comes together in minutes, and if you plan ahead it can be entirely made using leftovers from pizza night and cooked pasta!
By now, I’m entering pro status at storing leftovers and reusing them in other delicious recipes, so my husband and my picky eaters feel like they are getting an entirely new meal, enter: Pizza Pasta Salad.
Cold Pizza Pasta Salad
Pizza is a household favorite, so it’s no wonder my family loves this simple meal. Check out this video to see how it’s made.
How easy is that? Add your cooked pasta to a bowl, toss in your favorite pizza toppings, a drizzle of vinaigrette or marinara sauce, toss to combine, and it’s ready!
Repurposing pizza toppings and cooked pasta, helps to save time and minimizing waste. It’s also a meal that’s a winner with picky eaters.
I’ve learned by using ingredients that my kids are fond of, like pepperoni pizza toppings, in new recipes, helps them be more open to trying new dishes and discovering new favorites.
Struggling with picky eating? Take a look at my FREE 6-Video Mini-Course from MOMables to help improve mealtimes.
This recipe can also be found in my collection of lunch ideas for picky eaters. Each lunch idea is a version of kid-friendly meals that have a variety of foods, from whole grains to lean proteins and veggies.
Packing Pasta Salad for Lunch
While I like serving pasta salad at room temperature for BBQ’s and grilling parties, I prefer to pack it chilled for the lunchbox.
You can do this by packing the salad in a lunch container and adding a freeze pack to the lunch bag, or using a chilled thermos container. This way it will stay fresh and you won’t have to worry about it spoiling before lunch.
At least this recipe doesn’t require reheating, which is a plus if your child is going on a field trip or the school cafeteria doesn’t have a microwave. I have several cold lunch ideas like more pasta salads, wraps, and bento lunches that are great for both cases.
Pasta Salad for Kids
Pasta salad is just one of my kids’ favorite lunches, and I love that it can be prepped ahead and still taste good 2 days later. Here are some more ideas you’re family is going to love!
Related: Top 5 Lunchboxes We’ve Tested
Pizza Pasta Salad
Need an easy school lunch idea to use up leftovers? You are going to love this quick pizza pasta salad recipe.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 lunches 1x
- Category: lunch
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked pasta (we used whole-wheat)
- 2-ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ½ cup broccoli florets, chopped
- 8 nitrate-free pepperoni slices, quartered
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons Italian dressing (or plain olive oil)
- Salt & black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, cheese, broccoli, pepperoni, black olives, tomatoes, dressing, salt, and black pepper. Toss to combine.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days or pack inside a lunch container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lunch
- Calories: 479
- Sugar: 5.7g
- Sodium: 1598.1mg
- Fat: 20.4g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 50.6g
- Fiber: 3.9g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 32.2mg
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