Italian Pasta Salad

This Italian Pasta Salad is a bursting with Italian flavors and fresh veggies. Served as a family-friendly side dish, or as a meal on it's own, it's sure to be one of your go-to recipes all summer long.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 30

Total Time 50

Course lunch, Pasta, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings

Calories 303 kcal

Equipment

1 pot
1 wooden spoon
1 colander
1 large mixing bowl
1 sharp knife

Ingredients

3 cups small shaped pasta (rotini or gemelli work well)
1 cup cherry tomatoes halves
1 cup green bell peppers diced
½ cup black olives sliced
8 oz pearl mozzarella balls
2 oz pepperoni slices cut in strips
1 packet Italian dressing seasoning mix (I use this one)
¼ cup Italian dressing
¼ tsp coarse salt

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Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 3 cups of pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 cup green bell pepper, 1/2 cup black olives, 8oz pearl mozzarella balls, and 2oz of pepperoni.
Pour 1/4 cup of Italian dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
Open the Italian seasoning packet and sprinkle half of the contents over the salad. Stir and taste. If you prefer to add a little salt, go ahead. I add 1/4t of course salt. Mix until well combined. Tip: Store remaining seasoning packet in case you have leftovers that need to be revived a bit by sprinkling extra seasoning after a day or two.
Serve immediately, or for best results, cover the salad and refrigerate for 30 mins to chill and let flavor melt together a bit.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 13gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 551mgPotassium: 205mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 264IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Italian Pasta Salad, pasta salad, side dish

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