Summer Italian Pasta Salad

Summer Italian Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 pound bow tie pasta (mine is from World Market)

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese pearls

8 ounces salami or summer sausage, chopped

6 ounces black olives, sliced

1/2 red onion or shallot, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup sliced pepperoncinis

Italian Dressing Ingredients

3/4 cup quality olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons dried minced onion

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Make the salad dressing by combining all the ingredients and whisking together. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. For the Pasta Salad, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain water and add pasta to a large bowl. Add a tablespoon of olive oil so the pasta doesn’t stick together. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.

3. Add chopped ingredients to the pasta salad and toss with 3/4 of the dressing. Refrigerate for at least four hours. Add remaining dressing before serving. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.