Recipe: Tasty Taisen's semi Italian pasta salad

Taisen's semi Italian pasta salad. I was inspired to make this because I went on a Salami Bender* after the Salami Cream Cheese Roll I shared a couple of weeks ago. This Italian dressing is one of my all time favourite Pasta Salad Dressings. Dried herbs, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, a touch of sugar, pinch of red.

Pasta salad with the dressing on it can be stored for later with no problems. If you like this recipe you may also be. Everyone always loves this cold Italian Pasta Salad recipe made with a simple homemade Italian dressing, rotini noodles, tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, pepperoni or hard salami, onion, and pepperoncini. You can have Taisen's semi Italian pasta salad using 10 ingredients and 11 steps. Here is how you cook that.

Ingredients of Taisen's semi Italian pasta salad

It's 1 can of black pitted olives sliced or leave whole.
Prepare 3-4 of vine tipe tomatoes sliced into bite size pieces (you can use any kind of tomato).
You need 1 packages of mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes or however you like (I buy the round one from Aldi's).
It's 1/2-1 block of mozzarella cheese, cubed.
It's 1 packages of sliced pepperoni (cut into fours, I cut them in half and then half again).
It's 1 of large cucumber (cut into fours or whichever size you want).
You need 1 box of any kind of pasta noodles.
It's 1 of medium or small onion, diced (sweet or red, your choice).
Prepare 1 packages of regular ham, honey ham or any other ham cut into bite size pieces.
It's 1 bottle of Italian dressing (you can use regular or zesty).

It's the perfect pasta salad recipe to serve as a side for a BBQ or potluck. So many tasty Italian pasta salads to choose from. Antipasto and pesto salads, creamy or tangy salads, and many more. This Italian pasta salad features all the caprese ingredients and then some: mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, plus artichoke hearts and arugula.

Taisen's semi Italian pasta salad instructions

Boil your pasta noodles until done. Remove from heat, drain and let cool. You don't have to use the entire box. I didn't. I used maybe half or a bit over half..
While the noodles cool, start prepping the rest of the ingredients..
Open and drain black olives. Slice them length wise, in half or leave whole. Your choice..
Rinse off the tomatoes, and slice into bite size or you can use grape tomatoes..
Rinse, peel and slice your cucumber into bite size pieces..
Slice up your block of mozzarella cheese into small bite sizes. Slice your soft round mozzarella into thin slices or however you like..
Take your ham and chop it up into pieces or into long thin lengths. I used deli ham..
Chop up your onion if using onion..
For the pepperoni, you can leave them sliced as is or cut up. I cut mine into fours..
When the noodles are cool, add some of the Italian dressing. Mix. Start adding in everything that you chopped and sliced. Mix well. You don't have to use the entire bottle..
Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least an hour. Enjoy ;).

Italian Pasta Salad is an easy, flavorful side dish with veggies, pepperoni, cheese and Italian dressing. Make for parties, potlucks and backyard barbecues. One of my favorite things about this salad is that you can use the veggies you have on hand, swap things out for your favorite ingredients, and you can. Pasta salad is truly as easy as boiling water if you stick to a simple formula, use a smart pasta cooling trick, and a flavorful dressing. Remember that the pasta will plump as it cooks, and you want pasta salad to have a generous combination of pasta and vegetables in each bite.