Vinaigrette-Style Pasta Salad

Submitted by SGpratt

"Full disclosure -- this recipe is really a combination of two recipes found here on Recipezaar: Recipe #91605 and Recipe #65721. It is basically pasta, cut-up veggies and a kick-ass dressing with fresh herbs (the dressing came from Recipe #65721). It very closely approximates a pasta salad I used to make using a spice mix from McCormick's that I haven't been able to find in the grocery store for some time. Now, I can make my own :) The prep time does NOT include refrigerating time."

 

• Ready In: 20mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 15 1-cup servings

ingredients

• 16 -20 ounces pasta (rotini, ziti, or penne)
• 5 cups vegetables, cut-up (grape tomatoes, red or green or yellow or orange peppers, carrots, peas)
• 3 tablespoons scallions, diced for garnish (optional)

• Dressing

• 1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian dressing (I use Kraft Reduced Fat House Italian)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Be sure not to overcook as mushy pasta isn't so good in pasta salad.
2. Meanwhile, prepare dressing.
3. Cut-up or prepare vegetables.
4. Once cooked, drain pasta well but don't rinse (the dressing will adhere better if you don't rinse the pasta).
5. Combine pasta, dressing and vegetables and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. I reserve about 1/2 cup of the dressing to add right before serving.

Reviews

[Sydney Mike]

Absolutely great tasting salad for the warmer weather, & I'll be making this one off & on through the summer months, thanks to you! I made it with rotini, which I almost always have on hand, & included the listed veggies as well as some cut up green beans (with garlic) that were left from a previous meal! Thanks for sharing the recipe! [Made & reviewed for oneo f my adoptees in this Spring's Pick A Chef event]