Best Potluck Pasta Salad

Barb Gertz's Note:

This is a very good salad for a potluck, serves 16-18 as a side dish and can be made ahead of time; 12 to 24 hours. Chill time not included.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

• 3 cups dried wagon wheel macaroni or 3 cups rotini pasta or 3 cups other desired pasta (8-ounces)
• 1 medium summer squash or 1 medium zucchini, halved lenghtwise and sliced (2 cups, you can use both.)
• 1 cup frozen peas or 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
• 1 medium red pepper, cut into strips
• 8 ounces smoked cheddar cheese or 8 ounces cheddar cheese, cubed
• 1 (6 ounce) can pitted ripe olives, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano or 2 tablespoons basil or 2 teaspoons dried oregano or 2 teaspoons basil, crushed
• 1 cup bottled balsamic vinaigrette or 1 cup red wine vinaigrette dressing

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Rince with cold water; drain again.
3. In a large bowl combine, pasta, squash, peas, sweet pepper, cheese, olives tomatoes, onion, and oregano.
4. Add dressing to pasta mixture; toss gently to coat.
5. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours.

Reviews

[WiseFoodie]

Delicious!!! I used orzo pasta (because it give a great creamy texture), both the squash and zucchini, frozen peas only (no corn), red pepper (finely diced rather than strips), no olives, red onion (finely diced), sharp cheddar cheese cubes (each cube sliced in half), fresh organic basil from a tube--it was so fragrant!! (the basil from a tube at my local supermarket: http://www.gourmetgarden.com/au/product/view/basil), and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette (not bottled) to cut down on the salt content (used this recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/balsamic-vinaigrette-56625) What a wonderful non-mayo based pasta salad!! I highly recommend this recipe! :)

[Chef #230099]

I love this recipe, so healthy.

[sue from Canton]

I got nothing but raves about this pasta salad - thank you for sharing your recipe..... s.turner