Most Requested Pasta Salad for Parties

Submitted by Bella Cucina

"This is a pasta salad that follows my usual trend of blending things I have in the kitchen and ended up with a dish that gets requested every time we go to a BBQ or party."

 

• Ready In: 25mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 12 ounces tri-colored pasta, I prefer bow tie if I can get it
• 8 -10 ounces pepperoni slices
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 12 ounces feta cheese (sweet red pepper and basil kind)
• 16 ounces pitted black olives
• 16 ounces grape tomatoes (get the super sweets if you can)
• 1 large cucumber (dice into squares rather than slicing)
• 16 ounces Italian dressing, better quality

• Optional items

• 10 ounces peas
• 16 ounces green olives
• 1 green zucchini
• 1 yellow zucchini

directions

1. Boil your pasta in salted water until soft but not mushy. I eat several pieces as I am cooking to make sure they are the perfect consistency because the wrong consistency wrecks the recipe.
2. Get a large bowl to blend your ingredients.
3. Separate the pepperoni so that you don't end up with clumps of pepperoni.
4. Add all the other items you wish to include or happen to have in your kitchen.
5. Drain your pasta and run it under cool water so you don't melt your feta.
6. Mix all ingredients together adding the entire bottle of the good Italian dressing - use your clean hands - it's the only way because it's a BIG salad.
7. Serve in your biggest, prettiest bowl or platter - it's a colorful, beautiful summer salad that gets RAVES everywhere we go!
8. ENJOY! By the way, it tastes better with every day that it sits in the fridge, but the cucumbers get a little soggy.