Karen's Pasta Salad

Name: Karen's Pasta Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 10 serving(s)
Ingredients: 16 ounces rotini pasta (not tri-color); 10 ounces grape tomatoes (more to taste, up to 16 ounces); 2 small green peppers, diced 1/2 inch; 4 stalks celery, sliced on bias 1/2 inch thick; 4 ounces black olives, sliced; 1/2 cup green olives, sliced (optional); 1 medium red onion, peeled and diced; 4 ounces pepperoni, sliced, and slices cut in half; 6 -8 ounces hard salami, sliced, and slices cut into quarters; 4 ounces provolone cheese, sliced, and slices cut into eight pieces; 3/4 cup oil (use all vegetable or canola, or use a combination of EV olive oil and vegetable or canola); 1/2 cup red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste); 1 teaspoon pepper (or more, to taste)

Submitted by Snow White

"There are many pasta salads on Food.com, but the addition of a few ingredients makes this one even better, in my opinion. It is a beautiful salad with all the colors of the Italian flag. Smells great, tastes great. It's hearty enough with the meats and cheeses to even be a light entree."

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Ready In:: 30mins
Ingredients:: 16
Serves:: 10

ingredients

Salad
16 ounces rotini pasta (not tri-color)
10 ounces grape tomatoes (more to taste, up to 16 ounces)
2 small green peppers, diced 1/2 inch
4 stalks celery, sliced on bias 1/2 inch thick
4 ounces black olives, sliced
¹⁄₂ cup green olives, sliced (optional)
1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
4 ounces pepperoni, sliced, and slices cut in half
6 -8 ounces hard salami, sliced, and slices cut into quarters
4 ounces provolone cheese, sliced, and slices cut into eight pieces
Dressing (Can double recipe for dressing as the salad occasionally needs a bit of additional dressin
³⁄₄ cup oil (use all vegetable or canola, or use a combination of EV olive oil and vegetable or canola)
¹⁄₂ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper (or more, to taste)

directions

Salad:
Cook rotini until not quite done – barely al dente -- so the spirals are still very tight. Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. (The marination of the salad in the dressing will finish “cooking” the pasta perfectly.)
Add remaining ingredients, being careful to separate each slice of meat and cheese when you add it.
Gently mix the dressing into the salad.
Marinate at least 6 hours before serving.
Dressing:
Mix all dressing ingredients together well by using a stick blender, whisk, or just a jar for shaking.
Taste before adding entire mixture to salad to adjust seasonings.
NOTE: (I frequently prepare a double batch of dressing as sometimes, after marinating in one recipe of dressing, it needs a bit more. The remaining dressing is great on any salad, like fat slices of vine-ripened summer tomatoes with fresh basil, or a Greek salad with romaine, feta and olives.