Perfect Pasta Salad:

Mrs. Jaye's Note:

This is an absolutely INCREDIBLE recipe. Every time I've made it I've had to double it and it is still gone in nothing flat. People will beg you for the recipe

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 (1 lb) box tri-colored pasta
• 2 cups chopped green peppers
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups chopped red onions
• ½ lb cubed provolone cheese (optional)
• ½ lb sliced pepperoni
• ½ cup sliced black olives

DRESSING

• ¾ cup pompeian extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup pompeian red wine vinegar (this brand is excellent in this dish)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Mix together dressing first and set aside until sugar is dissolved completely.
2. Cook pasta according to box directions and rinse under cold water until cool.
3. Slice the sliced pepperoni circles in half and separate slices.
4. Mix together with pasta and chopped items, except the provolone cheese.
5. Pour dressing over it all and mix well.
6. Chill well.
7. Add provolone cheese to salad before serving, otherwise it gets soggy.
8. You may have to add extra red wine vinegar or olive oil to get it to the desired consistency.
9. Some people like it moist, others on the drier side.
10. This is guaranteed not to last long before it is completely devoured!
11. Enjoy!

Reviews

[ratherbeswimmin']

You are right Kelley, this pasta salad is INCREDIBLE!! Beautiful with color and very refreshing taste. The dressing is nice and zesty. Took it to work to share with my co-workers and we all agreed it was worth 5-stars. Thanks.

[RSL]

Really, really good salad! I tweaked the dressing a bit since there wasn't enough of a vinegar taste to me, so mine ended up being 1.5 parts vinegar to 1 part olive oil, but otherwise I followed the recipe with great results!

[bad kitty 1116]

I would give this 10 plus stars! It is incredible! All the reviews saying how great it was are correct. I was never a big pasta salad fan but this made me change my mind. I will throw out all my other recipes for pasta salad. Go ahead and make the whole amount -it will be gone. I made it yesterday and there are 3 people in my house-my hubby, me and my son and I gave one small container to my friend and it's all but gone. I saved a small container for my self in back of the fridge-he he. My friend is now making it too. No one can stop eating it.I added in roasted red peppers along with the green peppers, grape tomatoes-(love'em) and used mozzarella instead of provolone. I added about a 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan in there too. I had the Pompeian red wine vinegar, but used Sam's Club extra-virgin olive oil. I used 1 tablespoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon dried basil. I used seasoned salt instead of regular and I grated a garlic clove into the dressing as well. I used the full amount of sugar. The dressing makes this salad perfect! Thanks Mrs. Jaye for the recipe and answering my question!