Italian Pasta Salad

Italian pasta salad is a must-have summertime dish that is flavorful, nourishing, and simple to prepare. This pasta salad is nutritious, and tasty, and provides the energy you need to get through the day. It has pasta, vibrant vegetables, salami, mozzarella balls, olives, and fresh herbs. It's exactly what your summer picnics and cookouts require this year. What's the best part? It's effortless to make in advance and tastes better the next day!

 

 ½ lb. pasta, uncooked

3 oz. salami  

1 + ½ cup grape tomatoes  halved

½ green bell pepper chopped

½ red bell pepper chopped

¼ cup red onion, chopped

½ cup kalamata black olives, halved

4 oz. bocconcini mozzarella balls, halved

1 + ½ tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

½ cup Italian dressing, homemade or store-bought

Parmesan cheese

 

A medium pot of salted water should be brought to a boil. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8-10 minutes, or according to package directions. To stop the cooking process and cool the pasta, drain, and rinse it under cold water. Place the pasta in a large mixing bowl or serving dish. If you are not assembling the salad right away, drizzle with olive oil and toss to keep the pasta from sticking together. Alternatively, combine the remaining ingredients. Toss the salad with the Italian salad dressing to incorporate. Serve immediately with Parmesan on top, or cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This will allow all of the flavors to blend. When ready to serve, toss the salad with a little more dressing, if aspired