Zesty Garden Pasta Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing
This zesty garden pasta salad is loaded with fresh veggies, mozzarella balls, and a delicious homemade Italian dressing. A perfect make-ahead side dish for any occasion!
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini pasta or any short noodle pasta
- 1 cucumber diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ red onion finely diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls
For the dressing:
- ½ cup extra virgina olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tbsp honey
- 1 tsp mayonnaise
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Optional topping:
- fresh basil chopped
- balsamic vinegar glaze
Instructions
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In a large pot, add water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. (TIP: To save time, prep your veggies while the pasta is cooking.)
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In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk until everything is well combined. Set aside.
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Once pasta is done cooking, move to a strainer and rinse under cold water to cool the pasta. Drain well.
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In a large bowl, add the pasta, cucumber, both cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, spinach and mozzarella balls. Pour the dressing on top and gently stir until everything is mixed well and dressing is evenly coating everything. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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When ready to serve, stir again and add some chopped fresh basil or a drizzle of balsamic glaze to the top of each serving. (This is optional! The pasta salad is amazing without them but, if you have either of these on hand, they add even more depth to the dish.)
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