A homemade Italian pasta salad dressing takes this simple pasta salad loaded with veggies, cheese, pepperoni, and olives to a whole new level! Serve it right away or make it ahead for packed lunches, picnics, or summer barbecues.
Ingredients
- uncooked tri-color rotini pasta: 1 pack (8 ounce pack)
- pepperoni sausage: 6 ounces (diced)
- provolone cheese: 6 ounces (cubed)
- red onion: 1 medium (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- cucumber: 1 small (sliced)
- green bell pepper: 0.75 cup (chopped)
- red bell pepper: 0.75 cup (chopped)
- pitted black olives: 1 can (6 ounce can, drained)
- parsley: 0.25 cup (fresh; minced)
- Parmesan cheese: 0.25 cup (grated)
- olive oil: 0.5 cup
- red wine vinegar: 0.25 cup
- garlic: 2 clove (minced)
- basil: 1 tsp (dried)
- oregano: 1 tsp (dried)
- ground mustard seed: 0.5 tsp
- salt: 0.25 tsp
- ground black pepper: 0.125 tsp
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini and cook until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
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Transfer drained, cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add pepperoni, provolone cheese, red onion, cucumber, bell peppers, olives, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.
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Mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, ground mustard, salt, and pepper for dressing in a jar with a lid. Seal the jar, and shake until well combined.
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Pour dressing over the pasta salad; toss until well coated. Serve immediately, or cover and chill in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours before serving.
