This isn’t even a recipe, it’s more like a method. Over 30 (cough) years ago, a coworker brought a delicious pasta salad to an office potluck. The basic recipe was cooked pasta with bite size salami, assorted vegetables, Parmesan cheese and store bought Italian salad dressing! That was it and it was so delicious. The secret was to coat the pasta with the salad dressing as soon as you drain the pasta. The pasta absorbs all that flavor!
Since then, I’ve made countless variations with different vegetables and pastas. The results are the same, a crowd please. Since this isn’t a mayonnaise based dish, it’s perfect for picnics and potlucks. It hold well and the longer it sits, the better it tastes! You can use any small bite-size pasta you like. Today I was in a tri-color pasta mood.
I served this pasta tonight with my Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken for an easy Sunday dinner.
Summer Veggie Pasta
A delicious and versatile pasta dish that is perfect at room temperature. Great for potlucks, picnics and large gatherings.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Italian Salad Dressing
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning mix, salt and pepper
- 1 box bite-size pasta of your choice
- 1 1/4 cups corn, cooked and drained
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 14 oz can artichokes, quartered
- 1/2 bunch basil, torn
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Optional: red pepper flakes
Instructions
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In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the Italian Dressing with the seasonings. Set aside.
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Cook pasta according to package instructions. Cook the corn and drain.
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In a large bowl, add the pasta with most of the Italian Dressing mix. Toss and coat pasta well.
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Add the drained corn, frozen peas, artichokes and basil. Toss to coat well. Depending on your pasta, you may need to add the remaining dressing mix.
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Once the pasta cools, add cheese and garnish.
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Optional: red pepper flakes adds a nice kick to the pasta.
