Whip up your own Italian dressing at home for the most flavor and the healthiest option. These pastas have more area to soak up the delicious dressing. It also stops the cooking process so the pasta stays firm and doesn’t get mushy. This gets rid of the extra starchy coating. Save the remaining ¼ to add in just before serving. Vegan: Make sure there is no Parmesan in the dressing you use.Īdd in only ¾ of the amount of dressing that the recipe calls for.Dairy-Free: Make or purchase an Italian dressing without Parmesan.The recipe you’ll find below is already vegetarian as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements: To Freeze: It is not recommended to freeze leftovers as the pasta will become quite soggy and lose its texture.To Store: Keep this cold pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.Please note, some gluten-free pasta will get harder after being refrigerated for 48 hours. To Prep-Ahead: Make a big batch of this salad but keep the spinach and ¼ cup of dressing separate. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and enjoy! Combine noodles with dressing, veggies, and cheese. Just before serving pour in the additional ¼ cup of Italian dressing and mix in spinach leaves. You can also mix in the remaining Italian dressing and spinach leaves if you would like to serve it immediately without chilling.įor the best flavor, refrigerate this easy pasta salad recipe for 1-2 hours, or until chilled. Mix until all ingredients are well combined. Combine and ChillĪdd veggies, cheese, salt and pepper to taste, but leave out the spinach. The pasta will soak some up while chilling, so save a little to add at the end. The longer the pasta sits without any sauce, the more likely it is to stick together.Īlso don’t use all of the dressing. Be sure the dressing is in all the nooks and crannies. Once the pasta is at room temperature, toss IMMEDIATELY with ¾ cup of the dressing. This will keep the pasta from clumping together. Be sure to watch the timer as you don’t want to leave the noodles in too long or they will get soft and mushy.ĭrain in a colander and make sure to rinse under cold water to remove any of the starchy outer coating from the pasta. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package directions. These are the basic steps to make this Italian Dressing Pasta Salad: Cook the Pasta Baby leaves work well for their taste and size. Grated Parmesan is best as it disperses more evenly throughout the dish. You can also use a sweet onion for less of a punch. You can also use yellow or orange peppers. Both green and red bell peppers are used. Olive Garden is a great choice, as well as Wish Bone. It’s healthier and only takes 5 minutes to whisk up! You can also use store-bought. It’s worth it to make your own homemade Italian dressing. They tend to fall apart more easily than the other types. To make a gluten-free pasta salad, look for pasta made from rice, chickpeas, quinoa, or lentils. Penne pasta works almost as well but does have the least area to soak up any yummy sauce. Farfalle, or bow-tie, pasta is also a great choice and gives the salad a unique appearance. They have more surface area to soak up all of the sauce. Rotini or fusilli is the best to use in pasta salads. The simple ingredients you need to make this easy Italian pasta salad recipe include: You can make it gluten-free by using a wheat-free pasta and keep it vegan by using a salad dressing without any cheese. Not only is it easy to toss together, but it actually tastes even BETTER when it is prepped ahead of time. Now as an adult, every July 4th barbecue or Labor Day picnic would not be complete without this simple salad recipe. This cold pasta salad was always one of the first dishes to be devoured and the recipe requested by tons of family and friends. My mom would chop the bell peppers and onion very small, and somehow my taste buds did not seem to mind, and actually even enjoyed the crunchy bites. This healthy, vegetarian dish will be your new go-to for picnics, BBQs, and potlucks!įor just about every potluck, summer party, or church function, I always knew what my mom was making… this Italian dressing pasta salad.īefore I ever liked vegetables, I remember sneaking bites of it from the refrigerator. Rotini pasta, bell peppers, onion, spinach, and parmesan cheese are deliciously tossed with zesty Italian dressing to create the best cold pasta salad. Italian Dressing Pasta Salad is the perfect recipe when you need a quick and easy summer side.
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