Colorful Party Pasta Salad
Bursting with vibrant colors and fresh flavors, this Colorful Party Pasta Salad is the ultimate crowd-pleaser for any gathering or potluck! Featuring a medley of tender rotini pasta, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, sweet red and yellow bell peppers, and briny black olives, every bite is a delightful mix of textures and tastes. Tossed in a zesty Italian dressing and accented with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and a hint of seasoning, this refreshing salad is as easy to make as it is delicious. With just 20 minutes of prep time and a quick chill in the fridge, it’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for picnics, barbecues, or weekday lunches. Serve it chilled, and watch it disappear from the table!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 medium bell pepper (red)
- 1 medium bell pepper (yellow)
- 0.75 cups black olives
- 0.5 medium red onion
- 0.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese
- 0.75 cups Italian dressing
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
- 0.5 teaspoons salt
- 0.25 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, and chop both the red and yellow bell peppers into small pieces. Slice the red onion thinly and halve the black olives if they are whole.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, black olives, and red onion.
Pour the Italian dressing over the salad mixture and toss well to coat everything evenly.
Add the grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper. Toss the salad again to distribute the seasoning evenly.
Cover the pasta salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Before serving, give the salad a final toss and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve chilled and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2179 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 67.9 g | 87% | |
| Saturated Fat | 15.7 g | 78% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 19.6 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 40 mg | 13% | |
| Sodium | 4386 mg | 191% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 327.3 g | 119% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 23.2 g | 83% | |
| Total Sugars | 53.8 g | ||
| Protein | 67.9 g | 136% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 786 mg | 60% | |
| Iron | 21.5 mg | 119% | |
| Potassium | 2538 mg | 54% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
