Colorful Tri-Colored Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Bell Peppers Recipe
This colorful tri-colored spiral pasta salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish that combines al dente pasta with a zesty Italian dressing and a variety of fresh vegetables for a refreshing and easy-to-make salad, perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a side dish for any meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Dressing
- 1 pound tri-colored spiral pasta
- 1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
- 6 tablespoons salad seasoning mix
Vegetables and Add-ins
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ½ yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (2.25 ounce) can black olives, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tri-colored spiral pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta down.
- Combine dressing and seasoning: In a large mixing bowl, pour in the entire 16-ounce bottle of Italian-style salad dressing and add the 6 tablespoons of salad seasoning mix. Stir well to combine the flavors thoroughly.
- Add the pasta: Add the cooled and drained pasta to the dressing mixture. Toss gently to ensure every piece of pasta is coated evenly with the dressing and seasoning.
- Prepare vegetables: Dice the cherry tomatoes, chop the green, red, and yellow bell peppers, and chop the canned black olives. Add all these prepared vegetables to the pasta and dressing mixture.
- Mix everything: Toss the pasta salad gently but thoroughly to combine all the ingredients so the flavors meld together.
- Chill before serving: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least one hour to chill and allow the flavors to blend well before serving.
Notes
- Make sure to rinse the pasta with cold water to cool it and prevent it from sticking together.
- For best flavor, prepare the salad a few hours ahead or the night before.
- You can customize the salad by adding other vegetables such as cucumbers or red onions.
- This pasta salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: pasta salad, tri-colored pasta, Italian dressing salad, vegetarian pasta salad, potluck recipes, summer salad