Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

There is something right with the world when you find a pasta dish that is easy to make, it tastes good and everybody loves it.  Well, that dish happens to be this Zesty Italian Pasta Salad. Who doesn’t love a good pasta salad?  Mostly everyone.  Right! Besides, it possesses such amazing colors provided by the tricolor rotini pasta.  The pasta makes this salad so much fun to look at as well as eat.   However, if you can’t find tricolor rotini pasta use your favorite spiral pasta to put your own personal spin on this zesty pasta salad.

If you are using whole wheat rotini pasta it adds another layer of healthiness to this Zesty Italian Pasta Salad.  Fiber is one of the many wholesome contributing nutrients that can be found in this salad.  It provides an abundance of vitamins, complex carbohydrates, protein, and minerals.  Clearly, if all you have on hand is regular white pasta don’t freak-out the salad will still taste good.  Allow the other vegetables to provide the nutrients for this salad.

Bold Colors Add Interest

The bold colors of these ingredients bring a delightful added interest to this Zesty Italian Pasta Salad.

You know I’m big on making a recipe your own, well this salad is no exception.  I had some beautiful asparagus that I got from my local farmer’s market.  I chose to make them the star of the show.  Broccoli could easily be used to replace the asparagus if that’s what you happen to have on hand or you could use both in your salad.

I used asparagus, red onion, black olives, radishes, orange and lemon zest with their juice, mini pepperoni slices, cubes of pepper jack cheese, and a small bottle of Italian dressing to combine with the salad.  You could very easily make your own dressing if you’d like. Using a store-bought salad dressing can at times be simple to use if you are press for time.  Add a few more additional spices to give the salad the flavor appeal you’re looking for.

The added zest and juice of lemon and orange lens a certain tanginess to the dressing.  It’s sure to make this salad a hit with your family

Let’s Make The Salad

  1. Cook the pasta until al dente, which is approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Drain; Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process.
  2. Place the pasta in a large bowl.
  3. Prep the asparagus by cutting off the lower 1/2 to 1-inch woody stem of the vegetable.
  4. Cut the asparagus into bite-size pieces.
  5.   Steam the asparagus for 4 to 5 minutes until fork tender.
  6. Run cold water over the asparagus to stop the cooking process.
  7. Add the asparagus to the cooked pasta.

Combine All The Ingredients

Add the sliced radishes, cubed cheese, chopped red onions, sliced black olives, and the mini-pepperoni to the bowl.

Gently combine the ingredients together.

Don’t Forget the Dressing

In a small bowl combine the juice, zest of the lemon and orange, dried oregano, garlic powder, the bottled Italian dressing, and blend thoroughly.

  1. Pour over the pasta salad.
  2. Toss to coat.  Refrigerate overnight or for 3 to 4 hours.  This will allow all of the flavors to marry together.

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

This salad makes for a great side to take to a family gathering or a neighborhood potluck, it is very forgiving.  Double the recipe for those large events or make it a small salad to accommodate fewer people.  You can thank me later, but I’m sure this recipe for Zesty Italian Pasta Salad will become a favorite in your household and a requested dish of your neighbors and friends.

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Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
 
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Zesty Italian Pasta Salad is one delicious salad that's filled with cheese, pepperoni, vegetables, pasta, layered in a savory dressing that's perfect as a side dish or main course.
Author:
Recipe type: Salads
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1-12 ounce box tri-colored rotini pasta
  • 1 bunch fresh asparagus, steamed and chopped
  • ¾ cup pitted sliced black olives
  • 1-1/2 cup mini pepperoni
  • 1-1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, (your choice of cheese)
  • ½ cup red onion, diced
  • 1 cup sliced red radishes
  • 1-16 ounce Italian Dressing
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest and orange zest (optional)
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice and orange juice (optional)
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. oregano, dried
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta until al dente, which is approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Drain; Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process.
  2. Place the pasta in a large bowl.
  3. Prep the asparagus by cutting off the lower ½ to 1-inch woody stem of the vegetable.
  4. Cut the asparagus into bite-size pieces.
  5. Steam the asparagus for 4 to 5 minutes until fork tender.
  6. Run cold water over the asparagus to stop the cooking process.
  7. Add the asparagus to the cooked pasta.
  8. Add the sliced radishes, cubed cheese, chopped red onions, sliced black olives, and the mini-pepperoni to the bowl.
  9. Gently combine the ingredients together.
  10. In a small bowl combine the juice, zest of the lemon and orange, dried oregano, garlic powder, the bottled Italian dressing, and blend thoroughly. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad.
  11. Toss to coat.  Refrigerate overnight or for 3 to 4 hours.  This will allow all of the flavors to marry together.