Tri Color Rotini Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
The ultimate side dish for any cookout, picnic or pot-luck, this Zesty Italian Pasta Salad is always a hit. Made with a homemade Italian dressing, this pasta salad is loaded with salami, mozzarella, veggies and tender tri-color rotini pasta.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
- Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven Ideal for cooking any type of pasta, this Dutch Oven is fantastic for soups and stews, too!
- Mini Whisk Fantastic for mixing homemade dressings and marinades. One of my FAVORITE kitchen tools!
Ingredients
- 12 oz. tri-color rotini pasta
- 1 cup hard salami thickly sliced and quartered
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
- 1 (3.8 oz. can) sliced black olives
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 1 (8 oz. container) fresh mozzarella pearls drained
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves finely chopped
Homemade Italian Dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice juice of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic about 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- 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.
- 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. This will prevent the pasta from sticking together while cooling.
- 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.
- 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.
- Salad can be served right away or chilled until serving time.
Notes
Pasta salad will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 9gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 581mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2g
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