15 Cold Italian Pasta Salad Recipe Cook Up Something Special!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of your favorite pasta (penne, fusilli, or bowtie work well)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cucumber, diced
• 1 cup bell peppers, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, red onion, black olives, feta cheese, parsley, and basil.
3. Drizzle the Italian dressing over the pasta salad and toss to coat all the ingredients.
4. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
6. Before serving, give the pasta salad a quick toss and add more dressing if desired.

Tips and Variations:

• If you're short on time, you can use store-bought Italian dressing for this recipe. However, homemade dressing will give the salad a fresher and more authentic taste.
• This salad is a great way to use up any leftover vegetables you may have in your fridge. Don't be afraid to get creative and add your own personal touch.
• Protein options such as grilled chicken, shrimp, or salami can be added to make this salad a complete meal.
• If you're not a fan of feta cheese, you can substitute it with mozzarella or parmesan.

HTML Code:

<h2>Ingredients:</h2>

• 1 pound of your favorite pasta (penne, fusilli, or bowtie work well)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cucumber, diced
• 1 cup bell peppers, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup <b>Italian dressing</b>
• Salt and pepper, to taste

<h3>Instructions:</h3>

1. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, red onion, black olives, feta cheese, parsley, and basil.
3. Drizzle the <b>Italian dressing</b> over the pasta salad and toss to coat all the ingredients.
4. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
6. Before serving, give the pasta salad a quick toss and add more dressing if desired.

<h3>Tips and Variations:</h3>

• If you're short on time, you can use store-bought Italian dressing for this recipe. However, <b>homemade dressing</b> will give the salad a fresher and more authentic taste.
• This salad is a great way to use up any leftover vegetables you may have in your fridge. Don't be afraid to get creative and add your own personal touch.
• <b>Protein options</b> such as grilled chicken, shrimp, or salami can be added to make this salad a complete meal.
• If you're not a fan of feta cheese, you can substitute it with mozzarella or parmesan.