Going to a potluck? Hosting friends + fam for a grill out? Just need a quick summer lunch or supper? I have you covered with my foolproof pasta salad recipe. It is packed with veggies and simple ingredients.
It pairs great with your favorite grilled protein (steak for me, please!) and is approved by kiddos and hardworking farmers.
Italian Pasta Salad
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours (includes refrigeration)
Total time: 2.5 hours
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
- 1 box rotini pasta (tri-color or regular)
- 1 red onion
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 large cucumber
- ¾ bottle of your favorite Italian salad dressing
- Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
- Cook the pasta according to the box directions. Meanwhile, dice up your veggies.
- When the noodles are done, drain, and rinse with cold water.
- Pour noodles into a big mixing bowl and add the veggies. Season with salt and pepper to your liking, then pour on the salad dressing.
- Give everything a good toss to coat, then cover. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, before serving.
- Enjoy!
I came up with this recipe last fall during harvest. I was getting tired of making the same potatoes and vegetables for field meals, and needed something to change it up! I looked in my pantry and realized I had everything to attempt a pasta salad. The beauty of this recipe is that it is very versatile – don’t like bell peppers or cucumbers? Or just don’t have all of the veggies the recipe calls for? Sub them out for ones you do like or have on hand!
This has been my go-to recipe for potlucks this summer because it is so quick and easy, and I think it is a great way to get my vegetables in! I’ve also made a smaller batch that I ate on throughout the week for work lunches and just paired it with grilled steak or a chicken breast.
The hardworking farmers gave it the stamp of approval for field meals and our nieces and nephews gave it two thumbs up, too! So I would say this recipe will become a staple in my arsenal. 🙂
I hope you all are having a beautiful summer so far. Subscribe below to get more of my summer recipes!
Rooted in ag and led by faith,
Ellyn
The summer pasta salad is delicious. I often make it to take to a gathering since hubby is not a fan of cold pasta. That way I can enjoy making this simple salad and share it as well.