Fat Free Italian Pasta Salad
1 red pepper, sliced in thin 1" strips
1 cucumber, sliced and cut in quarters (triangle-shaped slices)
1 bunch green onions, finely diced
2 plum tomatoes, diced (including seeds)
1 small can (3 ounces) sliced black olives, optional
1 (8 ounce) bottle fat free Italian salad dressing (I use Cains)
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (16 ounce) package rotini
1 bunch fresh broccoli florets
1. Place vegetables (except broccoli) in large container with tight lid. Add vinegar, dressing, and pepper; cover and shake. Boil rotini according to package directions, to desired tenderness in heavily salted water.
2. When rotini has less than 2 minutes to cook, add broccoli florets to blanch and finish rotini cooking time. Drain rotini and broccoli and rinse under cold water.
3. Add to container of vegetables and shake well. Refrigerate before serving; 24 hours is best. The longer it sits in fridge, the better the flavor.
Serve with vegan bread and enjoy!!
SO HOW'D IT GO?
OMG!! This stuff is awesome! I used the multi colored Ronzoni, Garden Delight tomato, carrot and spinach radiatore pasta. Wishbone Fat Free Italian Dressing and used small roma tomatoes sliced whole. I also put in a handful of whole black pitted olives.
One way to get it colder faster is to place it in the freezer for 25 minutes, take out shake or mix then put back in for another 20 minutes then put in fridge until ready to serve.
Thank you for this great recipe! :D
Great meal!
I just made this recipe and its great. Will definatley become a regular for me. I think it would be great for lunch. I didn't have any green onions so didn't put that in and I'm not a fan of olives so didn't put those in either. I crumbled tofu into it. Delicious thanks.
this recipe has become a staple in my work-lunch repertoire. it's hotter than heck where i live, so this is a nice, cool lunch - yet filling so i can make it through my day and all the activities i get up to before dinner. i use green olives instead of black, not nearly that huge amount of dressing (i just throw a few splashes in), and omit the vinegar completely. still enough flavor for me (i like this kinda thing subtle) and tastes wicked fresh.
yum!
this recipe is awesome, and it's easily a meal. i actually mixed in some crumbled up tofu and grated "parmesan" on top. molto squisito!