This Italian Confetti Pasta salad loaded with fresh veggies and topped with a zesty homemade Italian-style dressing. It's potluck perfection and can easily be made ahead of time for easy peasy party prep!
1TBSPmrs dash italian seasoning blend(it tastes AMAZING on everything)
½TBSPgarlic powder
¼tspsalt
¼tspfreshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To make the dressing: Whisk all ingredients together and allow to sit. Giving the dressing some time to mingle will not only infuse flavor into the oil/vinegar but also soften the dry herbs and seasoning. It should keep in your fridge for about a week, if needed.
note: I use the entire batch of dresing for the pasta salad and then make a second 1/2 cup of dressing for the following day. Once the pasta has spent 24 hours marinating in the fridge it has pretty much soaked up all your yummy dressing -- adding more coats the pasta and amps up the flavor.
Bring a large pot of water [about 4 to 6 quarts] to a boil.
Boil noodles for around 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, for al dente pasta. To prevent sticking, feel free to add a little bit of oil to the pot. I add a spoonful of my favorite coconut oil and have to refrain from sticking my hand in the pot to eat them prematurely.
After 7 minutes has passed, scoop out a noodle and test for tenderness.
Once they're ready, remove from heat and strain in a colander to remove the water. As long as the noodles are hot they'll continue cooking, if you prefer to add the dressing to hot noodles [some say it helps the noodles soak up the flavor] then cook them more on the al-dente side and less tender. If you plan on rinsing your noodles with cold water to halt the cooking process, then you can cook them until they reach your ideal tenderness. Totally a matter of preference! It seems silly to mention it but the last thing I want is for you to end up with mushy noodles, those are about as fun as a bag of wet mice. [or hungry bloggers]
While your noodles are cooking, chop your veggies. I like to slice my mini peppers into rings and halve my cherry tomatoes. For the cukes, I cut the entire cucumber into quarters and then slice into little triangles. I get more veggies per forkful this way and I love the way it looks.
By the time you've finished chopping your noodles should be done!
Add your veggies and dressing to the mix and toss to incorporate.
Dust the entire bowl with parmesan romano cheese and dig. on. in.
Notes
I love the look/texture of combining some elbow macaroni with the rotini but feel free to skip it if you don't have any on hand! It's more of an add-on than a necessity.Craving a creamy dressing? Mix the above Italian dressing recipe with your favorite homemade or natural store-bought Caesar dressing.Nutrition Facts below are an estimate gathered using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!