Italian Pasta Salad
Years ago, my friend Holly made up a batch of this salad, and it instantly became my favorite. It makes up a huge batch, making it easy to take to a potluck, or divvy up into single-serve containers for a week’s worth of veggie-packed lunches.
Ingredients:
Veggie Pasta (I use Wacky Mac spirals, made by New World Pasta)
Italian Dressing (bottled, or make your own)
Olives
Veggies: get creative, choose at least 4 different varieties, keeping color in mind:
Chopped Brocolli
Sliced Carrots
Chopped Red, Green, Yellow Peppers
Cauliflower
Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumber
Red Onion
Optional:
Cubed Mozzarella
Garbanzo Beans
Diced Chicken
Cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions. Rinse with cool water in a sieve. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl, and add in the veggies and olives. Mix in enough of the dressing to evenly coat the pasta and veggies. Add in garbanzo beans or diced chicken if you would like. Cover the bowl and refrigerate, preferably overnight. If you plan to add cubed Mozzarella, do that just before serving.
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