Italian Pasta Salad
User Reviews
4.7
Italian Pasta Salad
Description
This Italian Pasta Salad recipe starts with cooking rotini pasta to al dente and cooling it to stop cooking. It combines fresh vegetables including broccoli florets, diced bell pepper, sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced black olives, which provide a crisp, refreshing base. Diced mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices add a creamy richness and a savory, slightly spicy note.
The dressing is made by whisking garlic powder, dried oregano, dried parsley, sugar, salt, pepper, water, cooking oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice into a balanced, zesty vinaigrette. Tossing the salad with the dressing evenly coats the ingredients, developing flavor over time, especially if chilled overnight. The salad offers a pleasing contrast between the tender pasta and the crunch of fresh vegetables, complemented by the savory meat and cheese.
This dish serves well as a side or light main at meals and is adaptable with various mix-ins like marinated cheeses, olives, and different vegetables to suit preferences.
Ingredients
For The Pasta Salad
- 16 ounces rotini pasta tricolor or original, or other short pasta shape
- 1 cup broccoli about 1 small head of broccoli cut into small pieces
- 1 cup bell pepper diced, about 1 bell pepper
- 1 cup English cucumber sliced thinly and quartered
- ½ cup red onion finely diced, about 1/2 an onion.
- 8 ounces cherry tomato sliced in half
- 8 ounces black olives drained and sliced
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese diced
- 5 ounces pepperoni cut or mini pepperoni, can also use salami, about 1 cup
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped, plus a little for garnish, fresh
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For The Dressing
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 1 tablespoon parsley dried
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
For The Pasta Salad
- In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta in the water according to the package directions on the box for al dente, or the minimum cooking time. You want your pasta to be cooked, but still have a little bite. Place in a colander to drain, and quickly rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Let the pasta drain as much as possible.
- Prep your vegetables by dicing and chopping your broccoli, bell pepper, cucumber, onion (optional) and cherry tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.
- Drain your olives and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Slice pepperoni and cheese if needed into bite-sized pieces.
For The Dressing
- In a medium-sized bowl combine garlic powder, oregano, parsley, sugar, salt and pepper together and mix well.
- Next to the spices add water, oil, vinegar and lemon juice. With a whisk quickly whip together all the dressing ingredients until combined.
Finishing The Salad
- In a large bowl combine pasta, all vegetables, meat, cheese and dressing. Mix well. Chill well!
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil, parsley and a little parmesan just before serving if desired!
Notes
- Chill the pasta salad overnight to deepen the flavor development before serving.
- Italian seasoning can replace the garlic, oregano, and parsley for convenience.
- Homemade dressing is recommended, but bottled Italian dressing can be used as a substitute.
- Sweet onion offers a milder taste than red onion and can be used according to preference.
- The salad is flexible; consider adding marinated cheeses, sundried tomatoes, or different vegetables for variety.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 629 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 629kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 41g | 14% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 47g | 72% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 11g | 65% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 28g | 140% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 23mg | 8% |
| Sodium | 892mg | 37% |
| Potassium | 314mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 920IU | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 35mg | 39% |
| Calcium | 102mg | 10% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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