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Pasta Salad With Italian Dressing

Italian dressing pasta made as an easy pasta salad with rotini, crisp vegetables, and bottled dressing coating every bite. Rinsed, chilled pasta gives a clean texture, while a 2-hour refrigerator rest lets the flavors sink in.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta Salad
  • 1 lb rotini pasta Use rotini for best dressing cling.
  • 16 oz Italian dressing Use bottled Italian dressing for quick flavor.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved Halve for even bites.
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced Dice small for balanced texture.
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, diced Dice into bite-size pieces.
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced Dice finely so it disperses throughout.
  • 0.5 cup black olives, sliced Slice for easier mixing.
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese, grated Grate fresh for best melt and flavor.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Use as the flavor boost for the dressing mix.

Method
 

Cook and prep
  1. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water until chilled.
  2. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and green bell pepper, and dice the red onion; slice the black olives.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine the drained rotini pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and black olives in a large bowl.
  2. Add Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, then toss until everything is evenly coated.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors develop, covered to prevent drying.
Serve
  1. Toss again before serving and add more Italian dressing if needed to refresh the coating.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta with cold water to stop cooking and keep the pasta salad from turning mushy. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days; freezing is not recommended because vegetables and dressing texture can break down. For a lighter option, use low-sodium Italian dressing while keeping the same vegetable amounts for crunch.