An essential for hot summer nights, quick mid week meals, make ahead lunches and gatherings!

Italian Pasta Salad recipe

I was inspired to make this because I went on a Salami Bender* after the Salami Cream Cheese Roll I shared a couple of weeks ago. I could never be a food magazine editor or similar. Because a proper editor would ensure that a variety of recipes and ingredients are used. Whereas I find or am reminded of something that I love that I haven’t used “enough” of lately and I go on a Bender*. And my dear readers get sent two salami recipes within a fortnight, the first and only two in the history of RecipeTin Eats!

  • Is it just Aussies that use the term “bender” to describe a wild drinking spree??? Appropriate to apply to the current salami spree I’m on!

What goes in Italian Pasta Salad

Despite my excessive salami talk, Italian Pasta Salad does have things in it other than salami!

salami Bocconcini (I used baby ones) which are just small balls of fresh mozzarella (they’re available at all supermarkets in Australia) cherry tomatoes capsicum olives (I use Sicilian because it’s on-theme and pitted black ones too) basil; and pasta (duh!)

Pasta Salad Dressing

This Italian dressing is one of my all time favourite Pasta Salad Dressings. Dried herbs, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, a touch of sugar, pinch of red pepper and the secret ingredient – parmesan cheese. The parmesan just dissolves into the dressing and adds that extra flavour edge that makes anything you pour it over totally irresistible! TIP: Make a standby Italian Dressing recipe that you can keep on hand just by using garlic powder rather than fresh garlic!

This is a cold pasta salad

This is a cold pasta salad recipe to be served at room temperature or slightly chilled which makes it ideal to make ahead for midweek meals, taking to gatherings, work lunches and buffet spreads. All that colour. All that goodness. No one can resist it! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Italian Pasta Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing recipe video! (I realised it’s not a hard recipe, but it just looks oh-so-good) (PS The dressing clip is from my long shelf life Italian Dressing recipe so it doesn’t have fresh garlic in it, but that’s the only difference).

MORE SUMMER SALADS to take to gatherings 

Potato Salad and Lemon Potato Salad Chicken Pasta Salad Pearl Couscous Salad <– personal fave! Macaroni Pasta Salad Coleslaw Wild Rice Salad <– reader fave! Caesar Salad <– take components, quick to assemble, BIG HIT! 12 Minute Sun Dried Tomato Couscous Salad Browse all Pasta Salads and Rice Salad

LIFE OF DOZER

The time I shaved him… also the time I made him run around with a bandana on… This was a few years ago, I thought he looked dashing (and practical) but everyone mocked him!?

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