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Creamy Italian Pasta Salad
If you are like me, you turn on the oven as little as possible during the warm summer months. I’m still feeding my family good food but I simplify things and look for “cook once, serve twice” types of meals. What are some of your favorite food items to purchase during the summer?
This Creamy Italian Pasta salad comes together in just a few minutes and what I love is that it’s equally good served cold the next day for lunch. It’s also a great take-along meal for picnics, summer concerts, and movies under the stars.
The tri-colored pasta along with the orange pepper, red onion, Roma tomatoes, and the mini-cucumbers make this Creamy Italian Pasta Salad a feast for the eyes too!
Ingredients for my Creamy Italian Pasta Salad recipe
1 box (12 oz) Tri-Colored Rotini Pasta
2 mini cucumbers, sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 can (6oz) black olives, drained and chopped
1 package (8 oz) mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 orange pepper, diced
1/2 fresh red onion, chopped
1 cup Creamy Italian Dressing (see recipe below or buy it already made)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 mini cucumbers, sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 can (6oz) black olives, drained and chopped
1 package (8 oz) mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 orange pepper, diced
1/2 fresh red onion, chopped
1 cup Creamy Italian Dressing (see recipe below or buy it already made)
Salt and pepper to taste
Creamy Italian Dressing recipe
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon of these spices or substitute Italian spices if you already have them
dried basil
dried oregano
dried parsley
Blend all ingredients together. If it is too thick, add a small amount of water to thin it out.
If you have leftovers, it makes a great lunch for tomorrow!
Creamy Italian Pasta Salad
The tri-colored pasta along with the orange pepper, red onion, Roma tomatoes, and the mini-cucumbers make this Creamy Italian Pasta Salad a feast for the eyes too!
Ingredients
- 1 box (12 oz) Rotini Pasta
- 2 Mini cucumbers , sliced
- 2 Roma tomatoes , chopped
- 1 can (6oz) black olives , drained and chopped
- 1 package (8 oz) Mozarrella cheese , cubed
- 1 orange pepper , diced
- 1/2 Fresh red onion , chopped
- 1 cup Creamy Italian Dressing see recipe
- Salt and pepper
- Creamy Italian Dressing Ingredients
- Creamy Italian Dressing recipe
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of these spices or substitute Italian spices in you already have them
- dried basil
- dried oregano
- dried parsley
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water immediately. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, cheese, pepper and onion. Mix well.
- Stir in pasta and mix well.
- Add 1 cup of dressing and salt and pepper to taste.
- Instructions for Homemade Dressing
- Blend all ingredients together. If it is too thick, add a small amount of water to thin it out.
“This post was sponsored by ALDI as part of Influencer Activation for Influence Central.”
You may also like our Pineapple Mango Salsa recipe.
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I’m always looking for something different to eat. This one looks good! I’m not a huge of pasta salad fan but this one definitely looks like the exception to that rule. I will be trying this very soon.
That looks absolutely delicious. I make pasta salad with our dinners quite frequently. It’s a great side.
Yummy! I love salad, but I always eat a lot more of it during the warm months. I like the idea of putting it in a mason jar. I don’t need to be eating out.
This pasta salad looks delicious!! One of my favorite things about summer time bbqs is side dishes like this pasta salad.!
What a cute presentation in the jar! I love a good pasta salad, especially in the summer.
This looks fantastic! I was thinking of a way to make a great salad for my sons bday party tomorrow and am going to try your recipe. =)
I love shopping at Aldi for their great prices. Italian salads are my favorite, and this one looks awesome!
I make a very similar pasta salad like this all the time. It tastes so good too. I love having it for birthday parties and get togethers.
I am going to get the ingredients i need to make this tomorrow. It looks so delicious and easy to make.
This looks like a really yummy pasta salad!! I am totally into pasta salad lately but have never made my own, I just may have to try this one!!
This salad looks delish. I love summer pasta salads, they are perfect for any day.
Both the hubs and I love pasta salads. I can’t wait to try your recipe. Bet it’s delicious. Yum!
Oh my gosh yum! That looks so good. I make something similar and its always a hit.
I love aldi and love the Gfree brand! It is high quality and there are so many different products. Your creamy pasta salad looks awesome! Simply perfect for summer!
I love pasta salad! Especially during the summer. I used to shop at Aldi’s when we lived in Baltimore, but they don’t have one where I live now.
Ooooo this pasta salad looks delicious!!! Definitely going to be giving your recipe a try! Yummy!!!