Description
A refreshing Italian Pasta Salad featuring rotini pasta, fresh vegetables, mozzarella, olives, and pepperoni tossed in zesty Italian dressing. Perfect as a delightful side dish for picnics, potlucks, or summer meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Base
- 12 oz rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
Vegetables and Cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup mozzarella balls or cubes
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Meat
- 1/2 cup pepperoni slices or chopped salami
Dressing and Seasoning
- 3/4 cup Italian dressing (homemade or store-bought)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta thoroughly.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, mozzarella balls or cubes, sliced black olives, pepperoni or chopped salami, and chopped fresh parsley.
- Add Dressing: Pour the Italian dressing over the combined ingredients in the large bowl and toss well to ensure everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Season: Taste the salad and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper according to your preference.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld beautifully, enhancing the taste and texture.
Notes
- This pasta salad is ideal for picnics and potlucks because it can be made ahead of time.
- You can prepare it a day in advance; the flavors develop even better when allowed to sit overnight.
- Feel free to customize by adding ingredients such as artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers for added flavor and texture.
