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Italian Pasta Salad

6 – 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 Recipe Basic Italian Dressing - recipe below
  • 1 – 16 oz Brown Rice Spiral Pasta - I use
  • 1 Container Cherry Tomatoes About 2 Cups
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper – roasted – diced
  • 1 Small Yellow Bell Pepper – roasted – diced
  • 1/4 Red Onion – minced
  • 1 Cup Asiago Cheese – finely shredded   You can use Parmesan if you like it milder
  • 1 Cup Fresh Basil – chiffonade or torn
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • Sea Salt to taste

Basic Italian Dressing

  • 1 1/2 Cups
  • 1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning - I use Simply Organic brand
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoons Black Pepper

Instructions

  1. Pasta
  2. Start by cooking the pasta according to the package.  (I usually cook the pasta a minute or two less than the package.) When pasta is al dente put into a large bowl and let cool.

Dressing

  1. Mince the garlic and add to a jar.
  2. Measure all other ingredients and add them to the jar.  Shake well.

Peppers

  1. Roast the peppers on the stovetop on medium-high heat.  A gas stove works the best but it will work fine on an electric stove. Char the peppers on all sides turning with a pair of tongs.  When good and charred, steam them for 10 minutes in a covered dish or a paper bag rolled shut to hold in the steam.
  2. Take a paper towel and rub off the char.  It’s ok to leave a little of the char.  Slice in half and remove the seeds and stems.

Assembly

  1. Add tomatoes, red onion, peppers, Asiago and the dressing to the pasta.
  2. Add torn, minced or whole leaves of basil and gently toss everything together.