Colorful pasta salad with rotini, crisp veggies, and zesty Italian dressing — a chilled, crowd-pleasing summer side.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 350 g (12 oz) rotini or fusilli pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
07 - 1/2 cup shredded carrots
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
09 - 3/4 cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Add-ins
11 - 1/2 cup cubed mozzarella or feta cheese
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
# How To Make:
01 - Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, carrots, and parsley.
03 - Pour Italian dressing over the salad. Toss gently to combine and season with salt and pepper as needed.
04 - If desired, add in mozzarella, feta, or Parmesan cheese and toss again.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled.
