Another from Jen at CarlsbadCRAVINGS!
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Italian Dressing Pasta Salad Ingredients
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This Italian Pasta Salad recipe is made with easy-to-find ingredients. Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need:
- Rotini: This twisty pasta holds onto the dressing and captures the ingredients’ flavors.
- Salami: Look for Genoa Salami. Genoa salami is seasoned with garlic, salt, black and white pepper, and red or white wine. It can be purchased at the deli counter or is often pre-packaged with specialty deli meats. If you can’t find Genoa Salami, use your favorite alternative.
- Pepperoni: Pepperoni adds a flavor different from the salami, with a savory, spicy saltiness and a hint of smokiness. It’s seasoned with paprika, chili flakes, garlic, fennel seed, and salt. The best brands of pre-sliced pepperoni include Ezzo’s, Boar’s Head, and Battistoni. You can also purchase pepperoni in one piece, as a “stick” (ask for a quarter or half stick) from the deli counter. This will be the very freshest, tastiest option because the pre-sliced pepperoni is already starting to oxidize.
- Tomatoes: The use of ripe cherry tomatoes is crucial as they are flavorful and juicy yet firm, ensuring they release less water into the salad and maintain the dressing’s flavor.
- Bell peppers: Use one green bell pepper for its earthiness and one yellow or orange bell pepper for its sweetness.
- Onion: ½ red onion adds a rich, zippy sweetness.
- Black olives: Add a briny, slightly salty taste that balances the flavors. Purchase whole olives and cut them in half because pre-sliced olives can fall apart and get lost.
- Pepperoncini: This ingredient is a must-have! It’s a type of mild, yellow-green chili pepper that provides a tangy, mildly spicy kick, enhancing the overall flavor of the salad. Pepperoncini typically comes in a glass jar shelved next to the sandwich condiments.
- Mozzarella pearls: Look for these with specialty cheeses. They come in a small plastic carton and are the perfect size for salads. They are soft and buttery and melt-in-your-mouth YUM. If you can’t locate them, chop fresh mozzarella into chunks.
- Garnish: Fresh Parmesan adds a nutty, salty finish, while parsley brings a fresh, herbal note for the final touch.
Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup finely freshly grated Parmesan cheese (liked powder)
- 1 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano, paprika, pepper
- 1/2-1 teaspoon sugar or more to taste
What to do with them...
- Add all the ingredients to a mason jar, cover and shake vigorously OR combine add all ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Taste (most accurate taste comes by dipping lettuce in dressing) and adjust according to taste. For less acidity- add more sugar, less tang – add more olive oil, more tang – add additional vinegar.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Shake to recombine before serving.
Zesty Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 recipe homemade Italian Dressing
- 1 lb. rotini pasta
- 3.5-4 oz. pepperoni, quartered (about ¾ cup)
- 4 oz. sliced salami, quartered (about ¾ cup)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup black olives, drained and halved
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls
- Parmesan and parsley for garnish
What to do with them...
- Prepare the Italian Dressing according to the directions (click here for the recipe). Refrigerate until ready to use, then shake to recombine before using.
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package directions. Drain and add to a large serving bowl.
- Pour HALF of the Dressing over the warm pasta and toss to combine. Add the rest of the pasta salad ingredients and toss to combine.
- For best results, chill for at least 30 minutes before serving (up to 24 hours). Chill the remaining Dressing separately.
- When ready to serve, toss with the remaining Dressing and garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan.