Contest-Winning Picnic Pasta Salad

  Lunch

My family's not big on traditional pasta salads made with mayonnaise, so when I served this colorful version that uses Italian dressing, it was a big hit. This crowd-pleaser is loaded with vegetables, beans and tricolor pasta.

Contest-Winning Picnic Pasta Salad

Average Rating: 4.903225

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
YIELD: 16 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 package (12 ounces) tricolor spiral pasta
  • 1 package (10 ounces) refrigerated tricolor tortellini
  • 1 jar (7-1/2 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
  • 1/2 pound fresh broccoli florets (about 1-3/4 cups)
  • 12 ounces provolone cheese, cubed
  • 12 ounces hard salami, cubed
  • 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped
  • 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 envelopes Italian salad dressing mix

Instructions

  • 1. Cook spiral pasta and tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl; add the artichokes, broccoli, provolone cheese, salami, peppers, beans, olives, onion and garlic.
  • 2. Prepare salad dressing according to package directions; pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 411 calories, 23g fat (8g saturated fat), 43mg cholesterol, 1156mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 4g fiber), 18g protein.

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