Yield: 12 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Ready In: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Why we love it: It's officially spring! Now that the birds are chirping and the sunlight is stretching well into after-work hours, we hope you'll take full advantage - perhaps even hit up a festival or two. If so, you'll need some take-along fuel. Pasta salad is perfect for that. It's filling, keeps well and can be gourmet, meaning it won't leave you craving your kitchen and the meals that usually come from it. Plus, it's still simple - leaving more than enough time for playtime.
What you need:
Salad
1 pound pasta
1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
1/2 pound Asiago cheese, diced
6 ounces olives, whole or chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
Dressing
0.7-ounce package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
What you do:
1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, then cool under cold water.
2. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Stir in the envelope of dressing mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. To prepare the dressing, whisk together all remaining ingredients. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad, and mix well.