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A big bowl of pasta salad is served
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Italian Dressing Pasta Salad Recipe

Italian Dressing Pasta Salad is the perfect recipe when you need a quick and easy summer side. Rotini pasta, bell peppers, onion, spinach, and parmesan cheese are deliciously tossed with zesty Italian dressing to create the best cold pasta salad.

Course Dinner, lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 360 kcal

Ingredients

  • 10-12 oz. rotini pasta gluten-free
  • 1 cup Italian dressing bottled or homemade
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch slices
  • 1 green bell pepper cut into 1-inch slices
  • ½ red onion thinly sliced
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • ¼-½ tsp. salt to taste
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper to taste
  • 2-3 cups baby spinach

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse under cool running water.
  2. Once pasta is cooled to room temperature, combine it with ¾ cup of Italian dressing in a large bowl. Toss until well coated.
  3. Add bell peppers, onion, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Toss until all ingredients are well combined.*
  4. Refrigerate pasta salad for 1-2 hours, or until chilled.
  5. Just before serving pour in additional ¼ cup of Italian dressing and mix in spinach leaves.
  6. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

  • You can also mix in the remaining Italian dressing and spinach leaves if you would like to serve it immediately without chilling.

Meal Prep and Storage

  • To Prep-Ahead: Make a big batch of this salad but keep the spinach and ¼ cup of dressing separate. Mix in just before serving. Please note, some gluten-free pasta will get harder after being refrigerated for 48 hours.
  • To Store: Keep this cold pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
  • To Freeze: It is not recommended to freeze leftovers as the pasta will become quite soggy and lose its texture.

Nutrition Facts
Italian Dressing Pasta Salad Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 360 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 822mg36%
Potassium 238mg7%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 3165IU63%
Vitamin C 53.4mg65%
Calcium 166mg17%
Iron 1.6mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.