Description
This Pasta Salad is a colorful and flavorful dish perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a light summer meal. With a mix of pasta, fresh vegetables, cheese, pepperoni, and a zesty dressing, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Salad:
- 12 ounce box dry rotini pasta (tri-color or regular)
- 10 ounces grape tomatoes (halved)
- 2 cups chopped green bell peppers
- 8 ounces cubed cheese*
- 4 ounces sliced pepperoni (sliced in half)
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
Dressing:
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook pasta according to box directions for al dente pasta.
- Cool Pasta: Rinse cooked pasta under cold water until pasta has cooled.
- Combine Ingredients: Toss pasta with grape tomatoes, green bell peppers, cheese, pepperoni, and black olives in a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare Dressing: Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, Italian seasoning, sweet basil, salt, and pepper.
- Add Dressing: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine.
- Chill: Chill well until ready to serve. The flavors improve as the pasta salad sits.
Notes
- This pasta salad can be customized with your favorite vegetables or protein.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the pepperoni and add more veggies or a plant-based protein.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 590mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: Pasta Salad, Picnic, Potluck, Summer, Easy, Vegetarian
