Rotini Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing and Veggies

Name: Rotini Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing and Veggies
Prep time: 29 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 49 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 quarts (3800 ml) water, cold, for boiling; 2 tablespoons (17 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water; measured for Diamond Crystal. By weight the amount is always 17 g: with Morton kosher salt use 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon, with fine table salt use 1 tablespoon; 1 pound (454 g) dried rotini pasta; ½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ⅓ cup (80 ml) red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, finely minced or grated; 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey; 2 teaspoons (2 g) dried oregano; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried basil; 1 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use about ¾ teaspoon (4 g) if using Morton kosher salt, or ½ teaspoon if using fine salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 2 medium (300 g) medium bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow or orange), seeded and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 1 pint (about 2 cups) (300 g) cherry tomatoes, halved, patted dry; ½ medium (75 g) red onion, halved again and sliced very thin into half-moons; 1 cup (one 6-oz / 170 g can, drained) (130 g) sliced black olives, drained well; ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A classic American potluck pasta salad: springy rotini tossed in a punchy homemade Italian dressing with crunchy bell peppers, juicy cherry tomatoes, sharp red onion and salty black olives. It gets better as it chills, and it holds up for days.

Prep: 29 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 1 hr 10 min
Total: 1 hr 59 min
Makes: About 10 cups (8 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the pasta
4 quarts (3800 ml) water, cold, for boiling
2 tablespoons (17 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water; measured for Diamond Crystal. By weight the amount is always 17 g: with Morton kosher salt use 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon, with fine table salt use 1 tablespoon
1 pound (454 g) dried rotini pasta
For the Italian dressing
½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup (80 ml) red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (7 g) honey
2 teaspoons (2 g) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried basil
1 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use about ¾ teaspoon (4 g) if using Morton kosher salt, or ½ teaspoon if using fine salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
For the salad
2 medium (300 g) medium bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow or orange), seeded and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
1 pint (about 2 cups) (300 g) cherry tomatoes, halved, patted dry
½ medium (75 g) red onion, halved again and sliced very thin into half-moons
1 cup (one 6-oz / 170 g can, drained) (130 g) sliced black olives, drained well
½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large pot (6-quart / 5.5 L or bigger)
Large colander
Large mixing bowl (5-quart / 4.7 L or bigger)
Jar with tight lid or medium bowl and whisk, for the dressing
Chef's knife and cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons
Large spoon or silicone spatula

Steps

Before you start

Plan on at least 1 hour of chilling time. The salad tastes best after the flavors have had time to blend.
Start the pasta water first, then make the dressing and chop the vegetables while it heats and cooks.
Pasta soaks up dressing as it sits, so you will hold back some dressing to add just before serving.
Drain the olives and pat the cherry tomatoes dry after washing so the salad isn't watery.

1
Boil the water
- Pour 4 quarts (3.8 L) cold water into a large pot and add 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (17 g; see ingredient note for other salts).
- Cover and bring to a full, rolling boil over high heat.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break the surface constantly, even when stirred.
Tip: Salt the water generously. It is the only chance to season the pasta itself.
2
Shake the dressing
- In a jar with a tight lid, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon, honey, oregano, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes if using.
- Seal and shake hard for 20 seconds.
- Taste a drop on a spoon; it should taste bright and slightly too sharp, since the pasta will mellow it.
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Ready when: The dressing looks cloudy and creamy-thin, with no separate layer of oil.
Tip: Shake again right before using; it separates as it stands.
3
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the bell peppers into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes and pat them dry with a paper towel, and slice the red onion into very thin half-moons.
- Drain the olives in a sieve.
- Set everything aside together on the cutting board or in a medium bowl.
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Ready when: Pieces are roughly the same size as the rotini spirals so every forkful has a bit of everything.
Tip: If the raw onion is too strong for you, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
4
Cook the rotini
- Add the rotini to the boiling water and stir right away so it doesn't stick.
- Cook uncovered at a steady boil, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute less than the package time, about 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Bite a spiral: it should be tender with a slight firmness at the very center. It will soften a little as it absorbs dressing.
Tip: Don't undercook. Cold pasta turns firmer, so go for tender-but-chewy.
5
Drain and cool
- Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse under cold running water for about 1 minute, tossing, until it is no longer warm to the touch.
- Shake the colander well and let it drain for 2 minutes more.
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Ready when: Pasta feels cool, and no water drips when you shake the colander.
Tip: Wet pasta waters down the dressing, so drain thoroughly.
6
Dress the pasta
- Transfer the pasta to a large bowl.
- Shake the dressing again and pour over about two-thirds of it (roughly ⅔ cup / 150 ml).
- Toss well to coat every spiral, then let stand for 10 minutes so the pasta absorbs the flavor.
- Leave the rest (about ¼ cup / 65 ml) in the jar.
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Ready when: Pasta looks glossy with only a thin film of dressing pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Keep the remaining dressing in the jar for the final refresh.
7
Fold in the add-ins
- Add the bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives and Parmesan (if using) to the pasta.
- Fold gently with a large spoon or spatula for about 1 minute so the tomatoes don't burst.
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Ready when: Vegetables are evenly spread through the pasta with no clumps of cheese.
8
Chill the salad
- Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours, stirring once halfway if you can.
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Ready when: The salad is cold all the way through, including the center of the bowl.
9
Refresh and serve
- Take the salad out, stir, and taste.
- Shake the reserved dressing and pour in some or all of it (about ¼ cup / 65 ml), starting with half, and toss until the pasta looks glossy again.
- Add a pinch of salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve cold or cool.
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Ready when: Pasta is shiny and well seasoned, tasting tangy but not sharp.
Tip: Salt after chilling, since cold dulls flavors.

Good to know

Tips

Rinsing the pasta in cold water stops cooking and removes surface starch, so the salad doesn't clump.
Reserve some dressing for serving. Cold pasta keeps absorbing it, and a final toss brings the salad back to life.
Choose firm, ripe cherry tomatoes and pat them dry so they don't water down the dressing.
To make it a main dish, add 1½ cups (about 250 g) cubed salami, grilled chicken or a drained can of chickpeas.

Make ahead

Make the salad up to 24 hours ahead through the chilling step and keep it covered in the fridge. Store the last ¼ cup (65 ml) of dressing separately and add it just before serving. For a potluck, transport it chilled.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the vegetables soften a little after day 2. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour in hot weather). Not recommended for freezing, because the pasta turns mushy and the tomatoes and peppers become watery. Serve cold; if the pasta tastes dry, stir in a splash of olive oil and vinegar.

Substitutions

extra-virgin olive oil → 1 cup (240 ml) bottled Italian dressing in place of the entire homemade dressing. Skip the oil, vinegar, lemon, garlic, mustard, honey, herbs, salt, pepper and flakes. Use about ¾ cup when dressing the pasta and the rest at serving.
dried rotini pasta → fusilli, rotelle, farfalle or cavatappi. Use the same weight; adjust cooking time to the package.
red wine vinegar → white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Same amount; cider vinegar is slightly fruitier.
Parmesan cheese → cubed mozzarella pearls or crumbled feta. Use about 1 cup; fold in gently when adding the vegetables.