Ugly Pasta Salad
Bright, bold, and bursting with flavor, the "Ugly Pasta Salad" is a vibrant medley of colorful vegetables, tender rotini pasta, and irresistible mix-ins like mozzarella pearls and zesty pepperoni slices. Despite its quirky name, this crowd-pleaser is anything but unattractive when it comes to taste, thanks to a flavorful basil pesto and Italian dressing blend that ties everything together. Packed with cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and sweet bell peppers, it’s a refreshing, hearty dish perfect for potlucks, picnics, or meal prep. Ready in just 30 minutes and served chilled for optimal flavor, this pasta salad is a delicious, no-fuss option for easy entertaining or weeknight dinners. Search no further for your next go-to summer salad recipe!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Rotini pasta
- 1 pint Cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium Cucumber
- 2 Bell peppers (assorted colors)
- 0.5 Red onion
- 0.5 cup Olives (black or green, pitted)
- 8 ounces Mozzarella pearls (or cubed mozzarella)
- 0.5 cup Pepperoni slices
- 0.5 cup Fresh parsley
- 0.5 cup Basil pesto
- 0.25 cup Italian dressing
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground black pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, and chop the bell peppers into bite-sized pieces. Finely slice the red onion. Roughly chop the parsley.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, red onion, olives, mozzarella pearls, and pepperoni slices.
In a small bowl, whisk together the basil pesto and Italian dressing. Pour the dressing mixture over the pasta salad and toss everything together to coat evenly.
Add salt and ground black pepper to taste. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish with additional parsley just before serving, if desired.
Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy your 'Ugly Pasta Salad'!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
468 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 31.2 g | 40% | |
| Saturated Fat | 10.6 g | 53% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.2 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 50 mg | 17% | |
| Sodium | 1267 mg | 55% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 29.5 g | 11% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.2 g | 12% | |
| Total Sugars | 7.4 g | ||
| Protein | 18.3 g | 37% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 392 mg | 30% | |
| Iron | 2.7 mg | 15% | |
| Potassium | 479 mg | 10% | |
*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.
