ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
Author : Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme Total Time : 25 minutes Yield : 4-6 servings
Italian pasta salad is delicious , wholesome , and easy to make . Make it up to three days ahead for your summer picnics and cookouts .
INGREDIENTS :
• ½ pound pasta , uncooked
• 3 ounces salami ( about 80 grams )
• 1 ½ cup grape tomatoes ( 1 pint ), halved
• ½ green bell pepper , chopped
• ½ red bell pepper , chopped
• ¼ cup red onion , chopped
• ½ cup kalamata black olives , halved
• 4 ounces bocconcini mozzarella balls , halved
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh parsley , finely chopped
• ½ cup Italian dressing , homemade or store-bought
• Parmesan cheese , grated ( optional , for serving )
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil . Add pasta and cook until al dente , about 8-10 minutes or according to package instructions . Drain and rinse pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool the pasta down .
Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl or serving bowl . If not assembling the salad immediately , add some olive oil and toss together to prevent the pasta from sticking together . Otherwise , add remaining ingredients . Pour Italian salad dressing on top , and toss to combine .
You can serve immediately with Parmesan on top , or cover the bowl tightly with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours . This will allow all the flavours to infuse into each other . When ready to serve , give the salad a good toss and add a little more dressing , if desired .
34 GREENVILLE LIFE