Italian Pasta & Bean Salad

Ironblaze's Note:

Every time I make this it gets rave reviews and lots of recipe requests.

• Total Time: 0 mins
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

Salad

• 12 ounces tri-color spiral pasta
• 1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers , drained and chopped (see below to roast your own)
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans , drained (great northern)
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans , drained
• 1 (3 7⁄8; ounce) can sliced black olives
• ½ cup chopped green onion
• feta cheese , for topping (optional)

Garlic Vinaigrette

• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1⁄3; cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 2 -4 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions; drain.
2. Rinse with cold water.
3. Prepare vinaigrette while pasta is cooking.
4. Stir all vinaigrette ingredients together in large bowl.
5. To Roast Pepper Take 1 large red bell pepper, roast under broiler or on barbecue rotating frequently until skin is black.
6. Place warm pepper in sealed zip lock bag for 5 minutes.
7. Peel skin off pepper while it is still hot.
8. Seed and chop pepper.
9. Stir pasta, pepper, canned ingredients and onion into vinaigrette. Add salt and pepper to taste.
10. Chill and serve.
11. Top with feta cheese if desired.
12. Enjoy!

Reviews

[Marg (CaymanDesigns)]

Good, but got several comments that it needed more zip to it. I would recommend adding some Italian spices and maybe more garlic. DH thought maybe a Tbls. of hot pepper juice would help. I only used half the olive oil to cut down on the calories and everyone agreed it was oily enough.

[hayleyosm]

We liked this recipe, but our family thought it needed more flavor so I added Salad Supreme seasoning to taste and some quartered pepperoni rounds. Also did not use all of the dressing. Absolutely delicious!