Prep time: 35 min | Cooking: 10 min | Additional: 8 hrs | Total: 8 hrs 45 min | Servings: 8 | Yield: 8 servings
Pasta salad is simple to make. The ingredients are simple and versatile, so you can do this when you’re inundated with summer produce, or you can adapt in the fall and winter to what’s in season. While I can’t speak for other pasta salads, this pasta salad can be a great healthy choice, in the right proportions. Not only does it have a decent quantity of vegetables, but it also has a lot of healthy fats, and it’s filled with protein. Try this Colorful Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing, and enjoy this with your family and friends.
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![Pasta Salad Recipe](https://skinnyandtasty.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Colorful-Pasta-Salad-with-Homemade-dressing-1.jpg)
Ingredients:
(1) (8 oz) package uncooked tri-color rotini pasta
(6 oz) pepperoni sausage, diced
(6 oz) provolone cheese, cubed
(1) red onion, thinly sliced
(1) small cucumber, thinly sliced
¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
¾ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 (6 oz) can pit black olives
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
(2) cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground mustard seed
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp ground black pepper
Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
Add cooled pasta, pepperoni, provolone cheese, red onion, cucumber, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, olives, parsley, and Parmesan cheese, mix in a large bowl.
Add and mix the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Seal the jar, in a jar with a lid, and shake well.
Pour the pasta salad over the dressing mixture, and toss to coat. Cover, and let it chill 8 hours in the refrigerator.
Notes:
Pasta salad can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days, making this the ideal side dish to prepare in advance.
For the pasta salad, you need to rinse the pasta with cold water. That is for a couple of reasons. The first reason the pasta is rinsed with cold water is to stop the pasta by cooking any further. Second, you should get rid of the starch that causes your noodles to stay together by rinsing it.
Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving: 442.8 calories; 38.9 mg cholesterol; 835.7 mg sodium; 15.9 g protein; 25.4 g carbohydrates.
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