Classic Pasta Salad Recipe
This Classic Pasta Salad is a colorful and flavorful dish perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a simple weeknight meal. Packed with tri-color rotini pasta, cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, cheeses, and a zesty homemade vinaigrette dressing, it’s a crowd-pleaser.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing, Tossing
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Salad:
- 24 ounces tri-color rotini pasta, uncooked
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 12 ounces sliced pepperoni
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces olives, sliced
Vinaigrette Dressing:
- 1 ½ cups olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: In salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and place in a large bowl.
- Prepare Salad: Add tomatoes, pepperoni, onion, bell pepper, cheeses, and olives to the bowl.
- Make Vinaigrette: In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Toss and Chill: Pour vinaigrette over salad, toss to coat, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Serve: Before serving, allow the salad to warm slightly at room temperature, then toss and serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: Pasta Salad, Italian, Easy, Quick, Vegetarian
Find it online: https://tastybynova.com/classic-pasta-salad-recipe/
