Pizza Pasta Salad
This pasta salad packs a one two punch-- full of your favorite pizza flavors this makes a hearty side dish or serves as a light, but filling all in one meal.
Servings: 8
Calories: 242kcal
Ingredients
- a handful of grap tomatoes halved lengthwise
- 1/2 medium red onion diced or thinly sliced
- 1 small green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 bag of mini pepperoni or full size pepperonis, quartered
- 1 cup of cubed mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh basil chiffonne or 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 lb of your favorite small pasta such as shells, farfalle, or rotini-- cooked
- 8 button mushrooms thinly sliced (optional)
- thinly sliced black olives
- For Dressing
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. As soon as it's done cooking strain the pasta and run it under cold water to stop cooking and allow it to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, gently toss together all the veggies, pepperoni, cheese, basil, and pasta to combine them.
- In a separate, smaller bowl, add in the garlic salt, oregano, tomato paste, vinegar, and olive oil. Briskly whisk the ingredients together until they're evenly incorporated and the dressing is smooth. Stir the dressing into the pasta salad and toss until evenly incorporated and everything's well coated. Salt and pepper the pasta salad, to taste.
- Allow to chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Notes
This pasta salad is easily doubled to feed a larger crowd.
Just like with pizza, you can pick and choose your 'toppings' here too. Add in as many or as few as appeal to you, or get creative with some additions/changes of your own.
recipe adapted from Diary of a Recipe Collector
Nutrition
Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 578IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg