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Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

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Zesty Italian Pasta Salad is a vibrant, flavor-packed dish that brings bold Italian-inspired ingredients together in the most delicious way. It’s a go-to for summer potlucks, picnics, and easy weeknight dinners. This salad is loaded with colorful vegetables, tangy pepperoncini, savory meats, creamy mozzarella pearls, and tossed in a zippy homemade Italian dressing that makes every bite sing. It’s just the kind of satisfying, refreshing dish that always disappears fast at any gathering.

Ingredients

For the Salad
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
Fresh grated Parmesan and chopped parsley for garnish

For the Homemade Italian Dressing
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Begin by preparing the dressing. In a bowl or a jar with a tight lid, whisk or shake together all the dressing ingredients until fully combined. Set it aside in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld.

 

Cook the rotini pasta in well-salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and place it in a large serving bowl while still warm. Pour half of the dressing over the warm pasta and toss gently. This helps the pasta soak up the dressing and boosts the overall flavor.

Notes

If you’re prepping this ahead, reserve some of the dressing to toss in right before serving so the salad stays fresh and lively.
Use a block of mozzarella cut into small cubes if you don’t have pearls on hand.
Feel free to adjust the spice level—add more pepperoncini or a pinch of red pepper flakes for a kick.
Rotini works best for catching the dressing and little bits of ingredients, but bowtie or penne pasta will also work just fine.

Find it online: https://dailyfamilymeals.com/zesty-italian-pasta-salad/