Description
This colorful pasta salad is perfect for summer barbecues or as a refreshing side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz rotini pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup bell peppers (mixed colors), diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the rotini pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
- While the pasta cools, chop the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, and slice the red onion.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta and chopped vegetables. Toss gently.
- Drizzle the Italian dressing over the salad and add grated Parmesan cheese. Toss well until everything is evenly coated.
- Just before serving, sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs and give it one last gentle toss.
Notes
- This salad can be made a few hours ahead of time; just keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Feel free to add other vegetables or proteins as desired, such as grilled chicken or olives.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 10mg