Description
This Italian Pasta Salad is a colorful and flavorful dish perfect for a summer picnic or as a side dish. Packed with pasta, fresh vegetables, cheeses, and savory meats, all tossed in a zesty Italian dressing, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s easy to make and even easier to enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 ounces rotini or penne pasta
Vegetables:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup sliced red onion
Additional:
- 1 cup diced salami or pepperoni
- 1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup Italian dressing
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook pasta until al dente, drain, and rinse under cold water.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, onion, salami, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Add Dressing: Pour Italian dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
- Season and Chill: Season with salt and pepper, refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with parsley before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the salami or pepperoni.
- You can use homemade Italian vinaigrette instead of bottled dressing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
