Description
A quick, no-cook weeknight dinner that combines rotini pasta with salami, fresh vegetables, and Italian dressing. It requires minimal cleanup and tastes even better after chilling.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) rotini or penne pasta
- 1 cup (240ml) Italian dressing
- 6 ounces (170g) salami, sliced into strips or rounds
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 pint (200g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup (75g) black olives, sliced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup (150g) mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
- 1/2 cup (60g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rotini and cook according to package directions until al dente (8-10 minutes).
- Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse immediately with cold water to stop cooking and cool it down.
- While pasta cooks, prep vegetables: dice red onion and bell pepper, halve cherry tomatoes, slice olives, and slice salami.
- In a large mixing bowl, pour in the Italian dressing. Whisk briefly to mix.
- Add the drained pasta to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat evenly.
- Add salami, red onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and feta to the bowl.
- Sprinkle in fresh basil if using. Toss everything together until ingredients are well distributed.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Give the salad a final toss before serving. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or extra dressing if needed.
Notes
Rinsing the pasta with cold water is crucial to prevent it from becoming mushy and to cool it quickly for a cold salad. The salad tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours as the pasta absorbs the dressing. If making ahead, add a little extra dressing before serving as the pasta will absorb liquid over time. This salad does not freeze well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 14
Keywords: cold pasta salad, Italian dressing, salami, quick dinner, meal prep, no cook dinner, weeknight meals, pasta salad recipe