Name: Simple Summer Pasta Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 12-ounce boxes tri-colored rotini pasta, cooked, drained and chilled; 1 cup black olives, sliced; 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced; 1 seedless cucumber, chopped; 2 cups baby spinach, finely chopped; 1 cup olive oil; 2/3 cup red wine or white wine vinegar (or any combination of the two); 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons salt; 2 teaspoons maple syrup; 3 tablespoons water; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Description

This Simple Summer Pasta Salad is the perfect summery side dish for cookouts. Made with a homemade Italian dressing and tri-color rotini pasta for a pop of color, it’s easy to whip up in no time at all.

Ingredients

Scale

For the pasta salad:

2 12-ounce boxes tri-colored rotini pasta, cooked, drained and chilled
1 cup black olives, sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 seedless cucumber, chopped
2 cups baby spinach, finely chopped

For the dressing:

1 cup olive oil
2/3 cup red wine or white wine vinegar (or any combination of the two)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

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Instructions

Combine all salad dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk rapidly to combine. (I also love pouring all of the salad dressing ingredients into a large mason jar and shaking everything up until it’s all properly mixed together.)
Combine all of the pasta salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour salad dressing on top of pasta salad and stir to combine.
Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.