This Tri Color Pasta Salad is a very quick and easy way to add a colorful side to your lunch or dinner. It’s so filling it could be considered a meal by itself.
If you love Italian pasta recipes then try these: Chicken Lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken scampi.
How to make a tri color pasta salad
Ingredients:
tri-color rotini
red bell pepper
red onion
cherry tomatoes
mushrooms
black olives
Italian dressing
Instructions:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package making sure to salt the water well. Once the pasta is cooked, pour it into a colander and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop it from cooking any anymore. After all the water is strained, place the pasta into a large bowl.
2. Chop the bell pepper and red onion, then slice the tomatoes and mushrooms.
3. Add the vegetables to the pasta and mix just to combine
4. Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta and stir well. It might seem like a lot of dressing at first, but the pasta will absorb a lot of it.
5. serve chilled.
- 1 12 oz package tri-color rotini
- 2/3 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in halves
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup black olives sliced
- 2 2/3 cup Italian dressing
- Cook the pasta according to the package making sure to salt the water well. Once the pasta is cooked, pour it into a colander and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop it from cooking any anymore. After all the water is strained, place the pasta into a large bowl.
- Chop the bell pepper and red onion, then slice the tomatoes, and mushrooms.
- Add the vegetables to the pasta and mix just to combine
- Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta and stir well. It might seem like a lot of dressing at first, but the pasta will absorb a lot of it.
- serve chilled.
Try adding some green onion !!!
Oh good idea Gina!
Can you eat those mushrooms raw?
Yes Dena, you can eat them raw.
Just the recipe I was looking for, but I think I’ll add some small pieces of blanched broccoli florets.
I hope you enjoy it Sandra!
I added chicken this i sooooo good and healthy
Great idea Brandy!
Thanks for posting this. My husband likes taking a side in his lunch and I didn’t like buying ready made but I wanted something simple. The addition of chicken seems like a good idea.
Thank you! That’s definitely a great addition for a fuller meal.
I’ve done one almost exactly like this except for the raw mushrooms…& added chopped ham……
Excellent……
I Love Pasta Salad
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Love your blog ….please send me updates via email……Blessings dolores…..the pasta salad…..DELISH !!!!!
Thank you Dolores! If you go to my homepage, there will be an email subscription box that pops up. Type your email in the subscription box. Once you receive the confirmation email, make sure to confirm it. You will receive an update every time I post a new recipe.
I love to add red onions, carrots, red or orange or yellow bell pepper, broccoli, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.
That sounds delicious Judy 🙂
Good Pasta Salad. I omitted the mushrooms and added some celery. I also like to add 1/2 – 3/4 cup parmesan cheese with either fresh basil or parsley. Mmm Mmm good. I’ve tried different dressings, but I find Ken’s Olive Oil w/Vinegar dressing works best.for me.
Thank you Robin, I’ll have to try that 🙂
Im going to try making it this weekend! Will it still be good if kept in fridge for couple of days?
Hi Anna, if you plan to make it a few days in advance, try to undercook the pasta. That way as it sits in the fridge for a few days the liquid from the Italian dressing will absorb and balance out. If you fully cook the pasta, it may get a little soggy after a few days. Hope that helps 🙂
Will it get soggy if I make it a night before a bday party?
Sounds delish!
If you make it the day before, try undercooking the pasta a little bit. That way as it sits the dressing will absorb into the pasta. If the pasta is fully cooked, it will absorb even more and become soggy. Hope that helps Jennifer.