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Quick Italian Pasta Salad (with 1 Secret Ingredient)

Quick Italian Pasta Salad with One Secret Ingredient You’ll Love

Enjoy this Quick Italian Pasta Salad featuring a secret ingredient that elevates its flavor. Ideal for any occasion!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • jar for dressing
  • serving bowl

Ingredients
  

For the Pasta

  • 1 lb rotini noodles
  • 3.5 to 4 oz pepperoni about ¾ cup, quartered
  • 4 oz salami slices about ¾ cup, cut into quarters
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup black olives halved and drained
  • 1 each orange bell pepper diced
  • 1 each green bell pepper diced
  • ½ cup finely diced red onion
  • 2 tablespoon chopped pepperoncini
  • 8 oz mozzarella pearls
  • grated parmesan cheese for topping
  • minced parsley for topping

For the Dressing

  • ¾ cup native olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon organic lemon juice
  • ¼ cup finely freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon paprika powder
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon sugar

Instructions
 

Prepare the Italian Dressing

  • Put all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake hard for 30 seconds until everything is mixed together. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Shake or whisk the dressing well before adding it to the salad, as ingredients may settle.

Cook the Rotini Pasta

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Add the rotini noodles and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
  • Drain thoroughly and transfer to a large serving bowl while still warm. Toss gently so it doesn’t stick together.

Combine Pasta and Half of the Dressing

  • Pour half of the prepared Italian dressing over the warm, cooked rotini pasta.
  • Toss the pasta until well coated.

Add Remaining Salad Ingredients

  • Add the quartered pepperoni, quartered salami slices, halved cherry tomatoes, halved black olives, diced orange bell pepper, diced green bell pepper, finely diced red onion, chopped pepperoncini, and mozzarella pearls to the dressed pasta.
  • Toss everything gently but thoroughly to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Chill the Salad

  • Cover the pasta salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
  • Store the remaining half of the Italian dressing separately in the fridge.

Finish and Serve

  • When ready to serve, toss the chilled pasta salad with the remaining Italian dressing.
  • Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of minced parsley.

Notes

For extra flavor, add a little extra Parmesan just before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 12gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 600mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1000IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 200mgIron: 1.5mg
Keyword cold salad, easy pasta salad, Italian salad, pasta salad, Quick Italian Pasta Salad, quick recipes
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