I made this pasta salad for the bridal shower I catered several weeks back. I can’t even begin to stress how easy it is to make and how versatile it is. You can put whatever veggies you want in it; asparagus, mushrooms, cucumber, green onions, yellow squash, etc… I made it so it was vegetarian friendly, but you could add diced ham, pepperoni or salami, if you want. Try feta cheese instead of cheddar or mozzarella. It’s better made a day ahead of when you want to serve it. I like to keep a little extra of the dressing on the side, so when I’m ready to serve, I toss it with a tablespoon or two of the dressing to freshen it up. I also don’t add the tomatoes till ready to serve, if added to early they won’t taste fresh.
This is a basic pasta salad recipe, take it and add what you want to make it your own.
Italian Pasta Salad:
- 2lbs Pasta (any shapes you want)
- 3 small zucchini, diced small
- 2 red or green bell peppers, diced small
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 can black olives, drained
- 1 8oz block cheddar cheese, diced small
- 1 8oz block mozzarella cheese, diced small
Dressing:
- 1 package Good Seasons Italian dressing
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbs water
- 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
- Boil pasta according to package directions, till Al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking, set aside.
- In a very large bowl, whisk together the Good Seasoning, vinegar, water and lemon juice. Continue to whisk and slowly pour the oil, till combined.
- Add the pasta and all veggies but the tomatoes, to the bowl with half of the dressing, mix to combine; reserve the leftover dressing.
- Once the pasta has cooled down, add the cheese and refrigerate till ready to serve. Before serving, add tomatoes and a tablespoon or two of dressing to freshen up the salad.
Source: Gina Marie