Gramma's Past Salad

Bright, colorful, and bursting with fresh flavors, Gramma's Pasta Salad is the ultimate crowd-pleaser for any gathering! This easy-to-make recipe combines tender rotini pasta with a medley of crisp vegetables like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion, all tossed in a tangy Italian dressing. Black olives, shredded Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley add a delightful depth of flavor, while a quick chill in the refrigerator ensures each bite is perfectly refreshing. Ready in just 25 minutes, this vibrant pasta salad is a versatile side dish that’s perfect for barbecues, picnics, or light lunches. Try it once, and it just might become your favorite potluck staple!

Nutriscore Rating: 73/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz rotini pasta
• 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 0.5 medium red onion
• 0.75 cup black olives
• 0.5 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 0.75 cup Italian dressing
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water to cool the pasta quickly. Set aside.

Step 2

While the pasta is cooking, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, dice the cucumber into small pieces, and chop the red bell pepper into bite-sized chunks.

Step 3

Finely dice the red onion and slice the black olives into thin rounds. Set all the chopped vegetables aside in a large mixing bowl.

Step 4

Once the pasta has cooled, add it to the mixing bowl with the vegetables.

Step 5

Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta and vegetables, tossing everything together until evenly coated.

Step 6

Add the shredded Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper to the salad. Give everything a final toss to ensure all the ingredients are well combined.

Step 7

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.

Step 8

Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled or at room temperature and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1474.9g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2167.4

Total Fat 67.9g	0%
Saturated Fat 15.8g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 19.6g
Cholesterol 40mg	0%
Sodium 3797.1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 324.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 22.5g	0%
Total Sugars 51.0g
Protein 67.5g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 800.7mg	0%
Iron 21.6mg	0%
Potassium 2494.1mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 28.0%

Protein: 12.4%

Carbs: 59.6%