Italian Pasta Salad

This salad works in just about any setting—summer picnics, potlucks, a quick lunch, or whenever you need something simple to round out a meal. It’s flexible enough that you can swap in whatever ingredients you have on hand, and the amount of Italian dressing is entirely up to you.  This makes a lot of pasta for a large gathering.  If you are making this for a smaller family, you may want to make a half of the recipe.

 

1 box (1lb) Rotelle (corkscrew) pasta (or bow-tie or any other hearty pasta you wish to use)

1 8oz block of cheese:  Cheddar, Colby Jack or Mozzarella or any combination of cheese. Cut into small pieces

1 cup pepperoni slices, cut into quarters

1 cup black olives, sliced

1/2 cup orange bell pepper (about a half of a pepper), cut into small pieces

1/2 cup red bell pepper (about a half of a pepper), cut into small pieces

3/4 cup red onion, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the cheese in the green can)

1 or 2 (16 oz) bottle(s) Olive Garden Italian dressing

Boil water and add pasta, cook according to package directions.  Pasta should be al dente (slightly firm, not mushy).  Drain pasta and run cold water over the pasta in a colander.  Drain well.  Take several pieces of paper towel and toss it around in the bowl to get the excess water off of the pasta.  Does not need to be totally dry.  Set aside.

In another large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Gently toss in the bowl to completely combine the ingredients.  Add the cooked and cooled pasta and gently toss again.

You may want to use more than one bottle of dressing, depending on how many ingredients you added to the salad and how much dressing you prefer.

Place salad in a 4-quart serving bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving.  Give the salad one more gentle stir just before serving.

Other suggested ingredients you may wish to add:

raw broccoli, cut into small pieces

raw cauliflower, cut into small pieces

green onions

cherry tomatoes, whole

fresh basil

Makes 4 quarts (16 cups)

Mark and Marianne