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Flavorful Cookout Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing and Pepperoni

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A quick and easy pasta salad perfect for summer BBQs, featuring rotini pasta tossed with zesty Italian dressing, savory pepperoni, and fresh vegetables for a flavorful and satisfying side dish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces rotini pasta
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • 6 ounces pepperoni slices, halved or quartered
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (about 4-6 quarts). Add 12 ounces of rotini pasta and cook according to package instructions, about 8-10 minutes, until al dente.
  2. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process and cool it down.
  3. While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely dice the red onion, dice the green bell pepper, slice the Kalamata olives if using, and halve or quarter the pepperoni slices.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta with tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, olives, pepperoni, and chopped parsley.
  5. Pour 1 cup of Italian dressing over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients.
  6. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top and toss gently.
  7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1 hour, to let flavors meld.
  8. Before serving, give the salad one last gentle toss. Add more dressing or fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

To prevent pasta from sticking, rinse with cold water and toss with a teaspoon of olive oil before mixing. For best flavor, chill the salad for at least 1 hour. Use gluten-free pasta to make this salad gluten-free friendly. Pepperoni can be substituted with chopped salami, cooked diced chicken, or cubed mozzarella.

Nutrition

Keywords: pasta salad, cookout, summer BBQ, Italian dressing, pepperoni, easy pasta salad, rotini pasta, picnic side dish

Find it online: https://bitefuljoy.com/flavorful-cookout-pasta-salad-recipe-with-italian-dressing-and-pepperoni-for-easy-summer-bbqs/