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Creamy Italian Pasta Salad | Well and Full | #vegetarian #recipe
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Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

This Creamy Italian Pasta Salad is packed with seasonal veggies, herbs, and a tangy homemade dressing - the perfect side dish for cookouts and potlucks!
Course Pasta
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword dijon mustard, oregano, parsley, pasta, peppers, red onion
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 8 as a side
Calories 499kcal

Ingredients

Creamy Italian Dressing

  • 1 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 Cloves Garlic grated
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Oregano chopped
  • 1/2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning see notes
  • 1/2 Tsp Fresh-Cracked Black Pepper
  • 1 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Tsp Salt

Pasta Salad

  • 1 Lb Small Pasta like rotini, fusilli, or orecchiete
  • 1 Large Red Bell Pepper diced, about 1 cup
  • 2 Small Hot Peppers like jalapeño or banana peppers, about 1/2 cup diced
  • 1/2 Red Onion diced
  • 1 Cup Fresh Parsley chopped
  • 3/4 Cup Small White Beans like navy beans (about half of one 15 oz can, rinsed and drained)

Instructions

  • To begin, cook your pasta in SALTED water for about 1-2 minute longer than the "al dente" time listed on the pasta box. (Cooking the pasta until al dente will make too hard once it's chilled.) You want the cooked pasta to be soft but not mushy.
  • Once done cooking, drain your pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
  • While the pasta is cooking, make the creamy Italian dressing by combining all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl, and mixing well until combined. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your preference.
  • Prep the rest of the ingredients for the recipe - chop the peppers, onion, and parsley; rinse and drain the white beans, etc.
  • Combine the pasta, beans, vegetables, and parsley, and drizzle with about 3/4 of the dressing at first. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
  • It's recommended to chill the pasta salad to give the flavors time to meld, for at least 1-2 hours. Right before serving, mix in the remaining 1/4 of the dressing for added flavor.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Be sure to check if your Italian Seasoning contains salt - if so, you may want to lower the amount of salt used in the dressing.
  • Feel free to add in any other additions you like here - such as artichokes, mozzarella, salumi, etc.!

Nutrition

Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1256IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg
https://wellandfull.com/2026/07/creamy-italian-pasta-salad/
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