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Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

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  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Side-dishes
  • Method: No-cook
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
  • Diet: Halal

Description

This Italian Pasta Salad is a vibrant, fresh, and flavor-packed dish made with rotini pasta, hearty salami, crisp vegetables, mozzarella balls, and a zesty Italian dressing. It’s perfect for gatherings, picnics, or as an easy make-ahead meal for summertime entertaining.

Ingredients

Units Scale

  • Pasta and Proteins

  • 16 oz dried rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
  • 10 oz hard salami, diced
  • 8 oz fresh small mozzarella balls
  • 2 oz parmesan cheese, grated

  • Vegetables

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 2 cups bell pepper, diced (use a mix of colors if desired)

  • Herbs

  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup basil, chopped

  • Dressing

  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Ingredients – Ensure the rotini pasta is cooked according to package directions, then rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly. Dice the salami, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the black olives, dice the red onion and bell pepper, and chop the parsley and basil. Grate the parmesan cheese if not pre-grated.
  2. Combine Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, diced salami, cherry tomatoes, black olives, red onion, bell pepper, mozzarella balls, parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and chopped basil.
  3. Add Dressing and Mix – Pour the Italian dressing over the ingredients. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss everything together until well combined and the salad is fully coated with dressing. Taste and add more dressing if desired.
  4. Chill or Serve – You can serve the salad immediately or cover and refrigerate it until ready to serve. Chilling allows the flavors to meld for an even tastier salad.

Notes

  • For best flavor, make ahead and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
  • Customize the salad with your favorite veggies or swap the salami for turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
  • Reserve a little extra dressing to add just before serving if the pasta absorbs too much.
  • This dish is perfect for picnics and potlucks as it holds up well.
  • Use gluten-free pasta to make the recipe gluten free.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: About 1 1/2 cups
  • Calories: 430
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Sodium: 1020mg
  • Fat: 22g
  • Saturated Fat: 8g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 12g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 40g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 19g
  • Cholesterol: 50mg

Find it online: https://emilyquickdinners.com/italian-pasta-salad-recipe/