Description
Classic summer pasta salad combines tender rotini with crisp vegetables, olives, cheese, and zesty Italian dressing for an easy cold side dish that works well for picnics and cookouts.
Ingredients
12 oz tri-color rotini or regular rotini pasta
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1 cup cheddar or mozzarella cheese, cubed
3/4 cup Italian dressing
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
2. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water until fully cooled.
3. Place the cooled pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, red onion, olives, and cheese in a large bowl.
4. Pour the Italian dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
5. Add parsley, salt, and black pepper, then toss again.
6. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Serve cold.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Add a little more dressing before serving if the pasta absorbs too much while chilling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Method: Boiled
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 20mg