If you're in a pinch for time, buy storebought dressing and skip making homemade. But this homemade dressing really makes the salad!
Ingredients
For the dressing:
⅓c.red wine vinegar
¼c.pesto
2-3garlic cloves, minced
1tsp.salt
½tsp.ground black pepper
1c.extra-virgin olive oil
For the pasta salad:
1lb.rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
1pt.cherry tomatoes, halved
1small cucumber, chopped
2c.sliced salami, small pieces
8oz.mozzarella sticks, thinly sliced into small pieces
1c.sliced black olives
1 ½c.baby bell peppers, thinly sliced
¾c.diced red onion
¾c.grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
½c.mozzarella cheese, grated
½tsp.salt
½c.chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
¼c.chopped oregano, plus more for garnish
¼c.chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
Instructions
For the dressing:
Whisk together the vinegar, pesto, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gradually add the olive oil, whisking constantly until combined. Set aside or, if using later, pour into a jar.
For the pasta salad:
Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, salami, mozzarella, olives, bell peppers, onion, Parmesan, salt, basil, and parsley.
Whisk (or shake the bottle) the dressing once more, then pour it over the salad, stirring to combine.
Just before serving, sprinkle with more chopped basil, oregano, parsley.