Italian Salad(Pasta or no Pasta)

Let’s face it, I love all pasta.  I love it hot, cold and leftover!

When I think of pasta salad I think of summer. But this Italian Pasta Salad can be served all year long hot as a main dish, cold as a side dish, and packed in the lunchbox the next day for a yummy lunch your kids will love!

Don’t want the pasta? Put it over Romaine lettuce instead! I love making an Italian Salad for a crowd because sometimes I don’t want to make an antipasto and a salad. So, I combine them and there you have it! Like everything else this recipe can be adjusted depending on what you have in the house.

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Italian Salad

• Servings: 6
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

With Pasta:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of small elbow pasta(or any type you prefer)
• 1 packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 of a red onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup of black olives, halved
• 1/2 cup of Giardeniera Italian mix, drained
• 7-10 oz pack of mozzarella balls(the little pearl ones)
• 1/4 cup of pepperoni or salami, chopped into small pieces
• big bunch of parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Boil a pot of salted water.
2. Cook pasta per directions on box.
3. Drain and set aside.
4. Prepare the dressing per directions on box.
5. Put the pasta in a large bowl.
6. Add all the ingredients except for the dressing.
7. Toss together. Make sure you added enough salt and pepper. It needs a good amount.
8. Drizzle with a little bit of dressing and mix again.
9. Add enough dressing so that everything is coated and tasty.
10. Before serving you may need to add more dressing to moisten the pasta.

Without Pasta:

Ingredients:

• 2 heads of romaine lettuce, rinsed, drained and chopped
• 1 packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 of a red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup of black olives, halved
• 7-10 oz pack of mozzarella balls(the little pearl ones) or shredded mozzarella
• 1 can of hearts of palm
• 1 can of marinated mushrooms
• 1/4 cup of pepperoni or salami, chopped into small pieces
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare the dressing per directions on box.
2. Lay your lettuce on a platter.
3. Top the lettuce with all the toppings except for the dressing.
4. Season with salt and pepper salt and pepper.
5. Drizzle with a little bit of dressing.

Enjoy!

Listed below are some of my other favorite salads…

No Romaine, No Problem

Shoepeg Corn Salad