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mindi’s pasta salad

TchrLdy71 avatar
Recipe by
Fran Miller
@TchrLdy71
Parkersburg, WV

A wonderful graduation celebration for Gabriella (high school) and Ayden (university) on 5/27/17 introduced this dish to me. So much delicious food, but my favorite was my daughter Mindi's pasta salad. Her secret ingredient? Marzetti's sweet Italian dressing. Who knew?? The other secret is to cut the additions to the pasta in larger pieces so it’s easy to avoid something one doesn’t like. Family harmony is maintained! =^..^=

yield 8 serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 15 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For mindi’s pasta salad

  • 1 lb
    pasta of choice
  • 1 large can
    pitted black olives, drained
  • 1
    green pepper, cleaned and cubed
  • 1
    cucumber, peeled and cubed
  • 1
    basket cherry tomatoes, whole or halved
  • 1/2
    red onion, peeled and diced large
  • sprinkle
    dried oregano
  • 1/2 lb
    cheddar cheese, cubed
  • 1 pkg
    pepperoni slices or salad pepperoni
  • 1-2 jar
    Marzetti sweet Italian dressing, more or less to taste
  • OPTIONAL
  • some
    whole green olives, drained
  • any
    other kinds of cheese cubes
  • some
    cooked ham cubes

How To Make mindi’s pasta salad

  • 1
    Cooking and drain the pasta; cool under cold water and drain well. (Mindi’s favorite pasta for this dish is radiatore, but I use rotini if I can’t find it. Any pasta will do! Just don’t overcook it!)
  • Marzetti Sweet Italian Dressing
    2
    In a large mixing bowl or pan, carefully stir together the pasta, the desired additions, and less salad dressing than you think (maybe 1 jar or less to start). Cover and refrigerate until time to eat.
  • 3
    Taste and decide if more dressing is actually needed. Add it if you think so.
  • Bowl of Mindi’s Pasta Salad
    4
    Pour the pasta salad into a serving dish or pan. Decorate with additional cherry tomatoes and olives, if wanted. Enjoy! =^..^=
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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