Description
A delightful and easy recipe for Olive Garden Copycat Pasta, featuring a colorful Italian pasta salad.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, black olives, red onion, and mozzarella cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Italian dressing, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Before serving, give the salad a gentle toss and garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.
Notes
- For added protein, consider adding diced grilled chicken or chickpeas.
- Feel free to substitute any of the vegetables with your favorites, such as spinach or artichokes, for a personalized touch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 20mg