Zesty Italian  Pasta Salad

www.delightfulemade.com

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– 12 oz. tri-color rotini pasta – 1 c. hard salami, thickly sliced and quartered – 1 pint, grape tomatoes, halved – 1 (3.8 oz.) can, sliced black olives – 1 lrg. green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup) – 1/2 c. red onion, chopped – 1 (8 oz.) container, fresh mozzarella pearls, drained – 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese – 1/2 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped – 1/4 c. fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

INGREDIENTS

Step 1

Start by mixing the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the EVOO, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, garlic powder, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, garlic salt and ground pepper. Set the dressing aside.

Step 2

Fill a large stock pot or Dutch oven with water 2/3 full and cook the rotini pasta only to al dente. (see package for ad dente cook time) Immediately remove from heat, drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Pour pasta onto a sheet pan and refrigerate to cool.

Step 3

While pasta is cooling, chop the ingredients: salami, tomatoes, peppers, onion, parsley and basil. Drain the olives and mozzarella, and grate the Parmesan if you're using a larger wedge. Add these ingredients to a large mixing bowl.

Step 4

To the mixing bowl, add in the cooled pasta to the rest of the ingredients and pour the dressing over the top. Toss the pasta, vegetables, meat and cheese together to coat well.

Step 5

Salad can be served right away or chilled until serving time.

Check out a couple of our other pasta recipes below!