Description
Cold pasta salad with Italian dressing is a vibrant and refreshing dish that celebrates the flavors of summer. Perfect for picnics, barbecues, or quick weeknight dinners, this easy-to-make salad features al dente pasta tossed with colorful vegetables and a zesty Italian dressing. Enjoy it as a light meal or a delightful side, and watch it quickly disappear at any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz rotini or penne pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced (seedless)
- 1/2 cup bell peppers, chopped (any color)
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water.
- While the pasta cools, prepare the vegetables: halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and bell peppers, and slice onion.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta with all vegetables. Toss gently to mix.
- Pour Italian dressing over the salad and toss until well coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to meld.
- Before serving, give it a gentle toss and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (about 200g)
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg