Easy Pasta Salad

In the past four weeks, I’ve been to four – count them – four dinner parties. I don’t know what it is about spring that makes people want to open their homes, but I’m loving this! One thing I noticed, though, is that at each of the four parties they served a store-bought pasta salad (I asked). Nothing wrong with store-bought, but honestly, pasta salad is one of the easiest (and most inexpensive) dishes in the world to make and I realized that maybe people just didn’t know how easy it is. So here’s my recipe, folks. Feel free to share…I bet we could start a homemade revolution! Enjoy!

What You Need To Make Easy Pasta Salad:

• 2 pounds uncooked spiral pasta
• 1 1/2 cups diced colby jack cheese
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1 16 oz bottle Italian dressing

How To Make Easy Pasta Salad:

Cook pasta according to directions on the package.

While the pasta is cooking, steam the broccoli and cauliflower florets together in a microwave steamer bag. Cook them for just under the recommended time so that they stay al dente.

Once the pasta is finished cooking, rinse with cold water and then strain completely.

In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients and refrigerate for 1/2 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Pro Tip: This is a super simple base recipe, but you can add a lot of different ingredients to make it your own. Try adding diced ham, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, parmesan, and salami to really treat your guests! Enjoy!

Easy Pasta Salad

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Pasta salad is a staple of almost every dinner party or get together and it's so easy to make. Next time you're taking a dish, take this easy pasta salad.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 pounds uncooked spiral pasta
• 1 1/2 cups diced colby jack cheese
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1 16 oz bottle Italian dressing

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to directions on the package.
2. While the pasta is cooking, steam the broccoli and cauliflower florets together in a microwave steamer bag. Cook them for just under the recommended time so that they stay al dente.
3. Once the pasta is finished cooking, rinse with cold water and then strain completely.
4. In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients and refrigerate for 1/2 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

This is a super simple base recipe, but you can add a lot of different ingredients to make it your own. Try adding diced ham, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, parmesan, and salami to really treat your guests! Enjoy!