RAINBOW PASTA SALAD RECIPE

For Pasta-Lovers is always a way to handle the heat with a cold delicious meal and today we are going to share with you a perfect recipe of a colorful pasta salad.

An incredible quick and easy to make with ingredients you have are already home in bite-sized pieces.

This colorful, nutritious salad it’s incredibly flavorful, with the perfect mixture of sweet, savory and spicy ingredients added to your favorite pasta, also sprinkled on top with Italian herb vinaigrette.

So grab your rainbow of ingredients, and let’s prepare the dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound dry pasta (I used tri-color rotini)

4-6 cups chopped antipasto ingredients such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber, diced mozzarella, olives, broccoli, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, roasted red peppers.

1 cup chopped fresh kale.

Quarter of a small red onion, peeled and thinly-sliced

1 batch Italian Herb Vinaigrette (see below)

ITALIAN HERB VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

2 teaspoons McCormick Italian Blend Herb Grinder Italian seasoning, or homemade

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:

Go ahead and chop up whatever ingredients you might have on your refrigerator. (I used, diced cheese, cherry tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, roasted red peppers, and then I add some leftover kale and red onion to the mix.)

Now it’s time to cook your favorite pasta (I went with some tri-color rotini). In a large stockpot of generously-salted water boil a batch of pasta al dente according to package directions.

Drain pasta, and then in a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, antipasto ingredients, kale, and onion.

I love to drizzle the Italian Herb Vinaigrette on top, a quick homemade it by some fresh Basil, along with extra virgin olive oil, Italian herb red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and a little bit of garlic powder.

MAKE THE ITALIAN HERB VINAIGRETTE:

Whisk all ingredients together until combined.

*To soften the kale, I placed it in the mixing bowl first, along with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, and then used my hands to massage the vinaigrette into the kale for about 1 minute. This makes it considerably softer, and will turn the kale a nice dark green color.

Use any combination of:

Diced cheeses

Italian meats

Olives

Grilled, roasted, or marinated veggies

Toasted nuts

Diced cantaloupe, grapes, or figs (only if you like fruit mixed in)

And voila! The rainbow of deliciousness Pasta Salad is ready to serve.

Cover the leftover Pasta Salad and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

TOTAL TIME: 30 MINS PREP TIME: 18 MINS COOK TIME: 12 MINS