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Make-Ahead Italian Rainbow Pasta Salad
Twelve ounces of rainbow rotini meet a dressing built from the reserved artichoke marinade, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard — a shortcut that adds depth without extra ingredients. Eight ounces of cubed mozzarella, a pint of halved cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, green olives, and chopped red onion go in alongside the drained artichoke hearts. The salad needs about an hour of chilling to let the pasta soak through the vinaigrette. Serves eight and holds up well overnight.
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- ¼ cup marinade from the artichoke hearts
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 package (12 oz) rainbow rotini pasta
- 1 jar (12 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained, marinade reserved
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 English (seedless) cucumber, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 cup sliced radishes
- ⅓ cup chopped celery
- ⅓ cup sliced green olives
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
Instructions
- 1Combine the artichoke marinade, olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh basil, parsley, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until well blended.
- 2Boil the rainbow rotini according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, then rinse it thoroughly under cold water and drain again. Rinsing stops the cooking process and removes excess starch so the noodles won't clump together.
- 3Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl along with the drained artichoke hearts, mozzarella, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, radishes, celery, olives, and green onions.
- 4Pour the prepared dressing over the mixture and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can prepare this salad up to a day in advance. The flavors actually improve as they sit in the fridge.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Swap: If you don't have rainbow rotini, standard fusilli, penne, or farfalle work just as well.
Recipe Details
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