Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
When I think of summer potlucks in Texas, my Mom's Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing immediately comes to mind! It's full of fresh bell peppers, thinly sliced red onion, grated Parmesan cheese and can be made with a simple bottle of store-bought dressing.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini pasta or fusilli
- 1 cup Italian dressing store-bought or homemade
- 1 red bell pepper thinly cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 green bell pepper thinly cut into 1-inch slices
- ½ red onion thinly cut into 1-inch slices
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse under cool running water.12 ounces rotini pasta
- Once pasta is cooled to room temperature, combine it with ¾ cup of Italian dressing in a large bowl. Toss until well coated. Reserve the remaining dressing in the refrigerator.1 cup Italian dressing
- Add bell peppers, onion, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Toss until all ingredients are well combined.* Refrigerate pasta salad for 2-4 hours, or until chilled.1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, ½ red onion, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Just before serving pour in reserved ¼ cup of Italian dressing and mix in spinach leaves. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, if desired.3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Notes
- Pasta shape matters: Stick with short, sturdy pasta like penne, rotini, or fusilli—avoid long or tiny shapes that won’t hold the dressing well.
- Use high-quality Italian dressing: A flavorful, well-balanced dressing makes a huge difference. Briannas, Stonewall, or Olive Garden are all solid store-bought picks.
- Freshly grated Parmesan = max flavor: While pre-grated works in a pinch, freshly grating your own will give the salad a bolder, richer taste.
- For gluten-free options: Choose rice or quinoa-based pasta for better texture—corn-based pastas tend to fall apart after chilling.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 822mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3165IU | Vitamin C: 53.4mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 1.6mg
