Italian Garden Pasta Salad, tri-color pasta, garden vegetables, mozzarella cheese, and mini pepperonis toss in an Italian Dressing. Perfect salad for potlucks, picnics, and any gatherings that don't have refrigeration.
Do you every start a dish with the main ingredient and build on it? Well, this is what my daughter did with this delicious Italian Garden Pasta Salad.
She bought this huge bag of tri-color pasta at Sam's and new she was going to make a pasta salad.
When she started, it was going to be a few vegetables like the tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, and cucumbers, but she had some pepperoni and mozzarella cheese leftover from making pizza so she decided to throw them in also.
Really, now you can consider this salad to be a main dish if you like. And if you've noticed, she didn't serve it in a glamours dish of sorts.
When I took the picture, she said, "there is a story behind this bowl". I knew what she meant.
When she was growing up, I had a bowl just like that one except it was green. You may have one too--remember the Tupperware Parties?
She remembers me mixing bread dough, potato salad, my trash mix, etc. In other words, this was the bowl I used a lot.
It made more than a few trips to family gatherings and church potlucks.
She bought this huge bag of tri-color pasta at Sam's and new she was going to make a pasta salad.
When she started, it was going to be a few vegetables like the tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, and cucumbers, but she had some pepperoni and mozzarella cheese leftover from making pizza so she decided to throw them in also.
Really, now you can consider this salad to be a main dish if you like. And if you've noticed, she didn't serve it in a glamours dish of sorts.
When I took the picture, she said, "there is a story behind this bowl". I knew what she meant.
When she was growing up, I had a bowl just like that one except it was green. You may have one too--remember the Tupperware Parties?
She remembers me mixing bread dough, potato salad, my trash mix, etc. In other words, this was the bowl I used a lot.
It made more than a few trips to family gatherings and church potlucks.
Italian Garden Pasta Salad
- 3 cups Garden Rotini (tri-color pasta)
- 1 cup seedless cucumbers, sliced and cut in half
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper
- 1/2 cup orange bell pepper
- 1 cup pepperoni, cut into fourths (or mini pepperoni)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 8 oz. bottle of your favorite Italian Dressing
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Mix cucumbers, tomato, and bell peppers in a large bowl. Add pasta and toss together; put in the refrigerator until serving.
Add the pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and salad dressing. Toss together well and serve.
Cook's Note: There are no rules to this salad. If you would like less or more of any ingredients, you can go for it. I will add black olives to mine next time and you feel free to add your own favorite ingredients too.
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Kay, that's hilarious! When I opened your post, the FIRST thing I saw was the bowl!
ReplyDeleteYep...remember all those tupperware parties we went to. Now Jennifer buys (like this one) at garage sales.
ReplyDeleteSounds great, look great and it would be great if i had some right now:)
ReplyDeleteThis looks just like a pasta salad my mom makes, but I had never thought to put cucumbers in it! I bet it is delicious. :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI definitely remember bowls like that! And the salad you have put in it looks wonderful.I like how you can make it into a meal in a bowl, and the tri-color pasta makes it look so good! I'd love it if you would share this recipe with Let's Do Brunch which I posted on my site today.
ReplyDeleteThis looks so good. Please come over to my link party and share some of your tasty recipes with us at Cast Party Wednesday. http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com
ReplyDeleteThanks,
I hope to see you there!
I'll be sure to try this over the weekend, thank you very much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteculinary vacation