Loaded Vegetable Pasta Salad

This salad has just about everything!

Notes from our test kitchen; use your choice of chopped salami or seafood both will work well for this salad

Servings 10-12

Ingredients:

1 (16-ounce) package dry rotini pasta
1small  head fresh broccoli, cut into medium-small florets
1 small  head fresh cauliflower, cut into medium-small florets
1 red onion, chopped
8 ounces chopped all beef salami or pepperoni OR 2 cups chopped imitation crab meat
8 ounces chopped mozzarella cheese or provolone cheese
1 (6-ounce) can sliced black olives or Kalamata olives
salt and fresh ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)

DRESSING:

3/4 cup bottled Caesar-Italian salad dressing
1/4-1/3 cup mayonnaise (can use more)

Instructions:

Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain rinse under cold water, drain well again then place in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Fill a large pot with water; bring to a full boil.

Add in the broccoli and cauliflower florets; bring back to a boil and blanch for about 6 minutes; remove to a bowl of ice water allow to cool in the water, the drain well in a colinder.

Transfer the colinder to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.

Toss the cooked pasta with the chilled broccoli and cauliflower, onion, salami or pepperoni or the crab meat and olives.

In a bowl whisk the dressing ingredients until smooth; pour over the salad and toss to combine, adding in more salad dressing and/or mayonnaise if needed.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

If desired you may toss in some grated Parmesan cheese.

Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Related posts:

Italian Pasta Salad

Cold Deli Chicken Or Shrimp Linguine Pasta Salad

Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

Mediterranean Style Pasta Salad

Kitten’s Italian Salami Bread Salad

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