Summer is in full swing and half the country is roasting under a heat wave (including us in Chicago). At times like this, I want to eat pasta salad. This particular recipe gets better with age, too, so I like to make a big batch to pack for lunches during the work week. It’s pretty quick and easy to make–the most time-consuming part is chopping up all the vegetables.
Once that’s done, you just throw everything into a bowl and let it marinate for a little while. You could try lots of variations on this recipe, adding different vegetables as you have them on hand. Enjoy!
Summer pasta salad
- 1 lb whole wheat rotini pasta
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 container baby roma tomatoes, halved
- 1 c mushrooms, chopped
- 1 6 oz jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1/2 lb salami, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 c shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 c Italian salad dressing
- salt and freshly-ground pepper
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Add pasta to a large bowl, then add zucchini, onion, tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, salami, cheeses, and garlic. Mix well.
- Add lemon juice, salad dressing, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well-combined. Let marinate in refrigerator at least one hour before serving; will keep in your refrigerator for about 1 week.
lemons 