Zesty Italian Dressing Pasta Salad

Course: Salads

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 307kcal

Author: Nikole Berg

This zesty Italian pasta salad is the perfect cold side dish! Made with rotini pasta, fresh veggies, mozzarella, and bold Italian dressing—easy, fresh, and full of flavor.

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Ingredients

12 ounces tricolor rotini pasta cooked
1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
6.5 ounces sliced black olives canned
5 ounces mini pepperoni
8 ounces pearl mozzarella balls
6.5 ounce jar marinated artichokes chopped
1 cup quartered English cucumber
1 cup zesty Italian dressing I used Kraft
2 tablespoon salad supreme seasoning I used McCormick perfect pinch

Instructions

Cook rotini pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions until one minute past al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta with cherry tomatoes, olives, mini pepperoni, mozzarella pearls, chopped artichokes, and cucumber.
Pour in the zesty Italian dressing and sprinkle on the Salad Supreme seasoning. Gently toss to coat everything evenly.
Can be served right away or chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to let the flavors of the dressing infuse the pasta and vegetables.
Before serving, stir and adjust seasoning if needed. Add additional dressing or a splash of olive oil and lemon juice to refresh the salad.

Notes

For best results, make sure the pasta is cooled to room temperature before adding the dressing to prevent it from soaking in too quickly.
Let pasta salad stand for 30 minutes before serving.
A large bowl gives you plenty of room to mix without spilling.
For even more flavor, add a handful of chopped fresh parsley or fresh herbs just before serving.
This recipe is flexible—try adding diced bell pepper, red onion, or parmesan cheese to suit your taste.

Nutrition