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Easy Pasta Salad

A quick and satisfying meal that combines hearty ingredients and fresh vegetables, perfect for any family gathering.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Main Ingredients
  • 16 ounces penne pasta (or rigatoni)
  • 1.5 cups Italian salami
  • 1.5 cups Monterey Jack cheese (cubed)
  • 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes (quartered)
  • 1.5 cups English cucumber (sliced and quartered)
  • 8 ounces black olives (sliced)
Dressing
  • 0.5 cup Italian vinaigrette dressing (– 3/4 cup, depending on preference)
  • 1 tablespoon dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (optional)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
  2. Once cooked, rinse with cold water in a colander. Allow noodles to completely cool.
  3. Place noodles in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Cut up salami, Monterey Jack cheese, cherry tomatoes and cucumber.
  5. Add the cut salami, cheese, tomatoes, cucumber and sliced olives on top of the noodles.
  6. Add 1/2 cup of dressing and toss to combine. If you want to add more dressing, do so by adding 1/4 cup at a time. Taste and add more if you desire. If you are adding the optional dry Italian-style salad dressing mix, add this in with the Italian dressing.

Notes

Avoid overcooking the pasta; it should be al dente for the best texture in your salad. Let noodles cool properly to prevent wilting of vegetables. Experiment with dressings or additional veggies for variety.