Contest-Winning Picnic Pasta Salad
Total Time
Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
Yield
16 servings
My family's not big on traditional pasta salads made with mayonnaise, so when I served this colorful version that uses Italian dressing, it was a big hit. This crowd-pleaser is loaded with vegetables, beans and tricolor pasta. It's one of the best picnic salad ideas! —Felicia Fiocchi, Vineland, New Jersey
Ingredients
- 1 package (12 ounces) tricolor spiral pasta
- 1 package (10 ounces) refrigerated tricolor tortellini
- 1 jar (7-1/2 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
- 1/2 pound fresh broccoli florets (about 1-3/4 cups)
- 12 ounces provolone cheese, cubed
- 12 ounces hard salami, cubed
- 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 envelopes Italian salad dressing mix
Directions
- Cook spiral pasta and tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl; add the artichokes, broccoli, provolone cheese, salami, peppers, beans, olives, onion and garlic.
- Prepare salad dressing according to package directions; pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.
Nutrition Facts
3/4 cup: 411 calories, 23g fat (8g saturated fat), 43mg cholesterol, 1156mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 4g fiber), 18g protein.
My family's not big on traditional pasta salads made with mayonnaise, so when I served this colorful version that uses Italian dressing, it was a big hit. This crowd-pleaser is loaded with vegetables, beans and tricolor pasta. It's one of the best picnic salad ideas! —Felicia Fiocchi, Vineland, New Jersey
Recipe Creator
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