Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing
An artisanal Italian dressing for pasta salad elevates this straightforward dish, brimming with vegetables, cheese, pepperoni, and olives, to an entirely elevated realm. Enjoy it promptly or prepare it in advance for convenient packed lunches, picnics, or lively summer barbecues.
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- 1 (8 ounce) package uncooked tri-color rotini pasta
- 6 ounces pepperoni sausage, diced.
- 6 ounces provolone cheese, cubed.
- 1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced.
- ¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 (6 ounce) can pitted black olives, drained
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced.
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard seed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini and cook until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
- Transfer drained, cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add pepperoni, provolone cheese, red onion, cucumber, bell peppers, olives, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.
- Mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, ground mustard, salt, and pepper for dressing in a jar with a lid. Seal the jar and shake until well combined.
- Pour dressing over the pasta salad; toss until well coated. Serve immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 443kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 16gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 836mgPotassium: 259mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 242mgIron: 3mg
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