A refreshing, make-ahead pasta salad combining tender pasta with crisp vegetables, savory meats, and a tangy vinaigrette. This versatile dish is a picnic and potluck staple that's easy to prepare and always crowd-pleasing.
Can be prepared up to a day in advance; add extra dressing just before serving if salad seems dry. Customize with your favorite vegetables, cheeses, or proteins such as grilled chicken, bacon, or pepperoni.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before serving.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 8 oz rotini or fusilli pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup bell pepper (red or yellow), diced
- 1 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup deli ham or salami, cubed
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
- ½ cup black olives, sliced
- ½ cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 8 oz rotini or fusilli pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup bell pepper (red or yellow), diced
- 1 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup deli ham or salami, cubed
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
- ½ cup black olives, sliced
- ½ cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Boil pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook pasta (1 lb) according to package directions until al dente.
Equipment: large pot
Cool pasta
Drain the pasta in a colander.
Rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Equipment: colander, large mixing bowl
Add vegetables and proteins
Add cherry tomatoes (2 cups), cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, ham (1 cup), mozzarella cheese (2 cups), and black olives (1 cup) to the cooled pasta.
Equipment: large mixing bowl
Dress and toss salad
Pour Italian dressing (1 ½ cups) over the pasta and vegetables.
Toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
Equipment: large mixing bowl
Season salad
Stir in fresh parsley (½ cup).
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Equipment: large mixing bowl
Chill before serving
Cover the mixing bowl.
Refrigerate to allow flavors to meld.
Equipment: mixing bowl, plastic wrap or lid
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before serving.
- • Can be prepared up to a day in advance; add extra dressing just before serving if salad seems dry.
- • Customize with your favorite vegetables, cheeses, or proteins such as grilled chicken, bacon, or pepperoni.
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