Tricolor Pasta Salad Recipe

4.80 from 10 votes

If you're looking for easy and flavorful meal, try my Tricolor Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing! Bursting with veggies, cheese, colorful rotini and tangy Italian Dressing, this cold pasta salad is just as delicious as it looks.

Prep Time10

Chill Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

16 ounces tricolor pasta 1 box, cooked according to instructions
16 ounces Italian dressing 1 bottle
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
16 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese 1 container, diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 green bell pepper diced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a large bowl.
16 ounces tricolor pasta, 16 ounces Italian dressing, 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 16 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Toss until well combined.
Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Stir, serve cold, and enjoy.

Video

Notes

Dry? Pasta is starchy and easily absorbs liquids. While it's beneficial for the flavor to toss the pasta in the dressing while it's still warm, using ⅔ of the dressing for this is best, as if too much is absorbed, the pasta will end up dry. Toss the cooled pasta salad with the remaining ⅓ of the dressing just before serving.
Mushy? While it's important to cook the pasta a bit longer in order to keep it soft, cooking pasta for too long will lead to mushy pasta that falls apart when tossed with the dressing. Be sure to cook the pasta salad only 1 minute longer than the directions on the box.
Tasteless? Start seasoning early and often. Boil the pasta in generously salted water and taste as you go to make sure the pasta isn't being over or under seasoned.

Add any of your favorite veggies, nuts, seeds, corn, artichokes, garbanzo beans, meats, and whatnot. Customize it to your imagination.

Nutrition