Description
A vibrant and easy pasta salad loaded with fresh vegetables and tossed in a zesty Italian dressing, perfect for a refreshing side dish or light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz tri-color rotini pasta
Vegetables
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 1/2 cups diced English cucumber
- 1 1/2 cups tiny chopped broccoli florets
- 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
- 1 cup olives, sliced
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced baby carrots
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
Dressing and Cheese
- 1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 1/3 cups bottled Italian salad dressing
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the tri-color rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente, without adding salt to the water as the dressing provides sufficient seasoning. Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta along with halved grape tomatoes, chopped broccoli florets, diced cucumber, chopped yellow bell pepper, sliced olives, thinly sliced baby carrots, and chopped red onion. Add the finely shredded parmesan cheese to the bowl.
- Add Dressing and Toss: Pour the bottled Italian salad dressing over all the ingredients and toss thoroughly to evenly coat the pasta and vegetables with the dressing.
- Chill: Cover the salad and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The salad can be chilled up to 1 day ahead to enhance the flavors. Before serving, toss the salad again to redistribute the dressing evenly, adding a little more dressing if needed.
Notes
- If you like cheese, try adding a cup of cubed mozzarella cheese to this salad for extra creaminess.
- Toss the salad just before serving to redistribute the Italian dressing evenly and keep the salad fresh.
- Use a good quality bottled Italian dressing to enhance flavor, such as Kraft Italian dressing, which pairs well with this recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
