Italian Pasta Salad
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Bright and refreshing Italian pasta salad tossed in a citrus and herbs vinaigrette. Delicious!
- 1 pound penne or rotini pasta
- 1/4 pound sliced turkey, chopped (omit for vegan)
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into bite size pieces (omit for vegan)
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
- 1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into half moons
- 1 green, red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (omit for vegan)
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Italian dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or plain rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (optional)
Ingredients for the homemade Italian dressing:
- Put all the ingredients in a jar, seal and shake until the oil has emulsified. Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients in a bowl.
Directions for the salad:
- In a large bowl, add all the ingredients for the salad.
- Pour the dressing and toss until all the ingredients are evenly coated.
Season with salt and pepper and serve cold.