As a mom, I am always looking for simplicity in the kitchen—especially when it comes to making food my kids will actually eat. This super-easy pasta salad is my go-to and is sure to be a massive hit this summer, whether you’re just hanging out at home or heading to a neighborhood barbecue.
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Super Easy Summer Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Method
- First boil your garden rotini pasta.
- Chop up your cucumbers and tomatoes and toss them in a bowl; you can also add red onion here if you want that extra kick.
- Strain your pasta and cool it down by running cold water over it, tossing it around to really make sure it chills.
- Add your pasta to the cucumber and tomato that you chopped up while your pasta was boiling.
- Throw in some mini pepperonis for extra flavor and some olives for a bit more color and depth.
- Top it with Italian dressing, as much as you think your salad needs, and then the McCormick salad supreme seasoning for the perfect finishing touch. Toss it around.
- You might find you need some more dressing, so go ahead and add some in, then top the salad with black pepper.
Notes
Ingredients You Will Need
- Garden rotini: I like using garden rotini because it gives the salad a little bit of extra color.
- Cucumbers: Freshly chopped.
- Tomatoes: Freshly chopped.
- Red onion (optional): This adds a great little kick if you like that flavor. My kiddos are not the biggest fans, so I tend to leave the onion out, but it is a really good addition.
- Mini pepperonis: We love these! They give that extra flavor that this pasta salad needs.
- Black olives: For a little bit more color and extra depth of flavor.
- Italian dressing: Use your favorite brand.
- McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning: The absolute perfect finishing touch.
- Black pepper: To taste.
How to Make the Pasta Salad
First, boil your garden rotini according to the package directions. While your pasta is boiling, chop up your cucumbers and tomatoes and toss them into a large serving bowl. If you are using red onion, you can chop that up and add it in here as well.
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Once your pasta is cooked, strain it and immediately cool it down. I do this by simply running cold water over the noodles in the strainer, tossing them around, and really making sure that they chill completely.
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Then, add your cooled pasta to the bowl with the cucumbers and tomatoes you chopped up earlier. This is where it gets fun because you get to add in your toppings! Throw in your mini pepperonis and your olives.
To finish it off, top the salad with as much Italian dressing as you think it needs, followed by a generous sprinkle of McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning. Toss everything around to make sure it is evenly coated. You might find that the pasta absorbs the liquid and needs a little more dressing, so go ahead and add a little extra if necessary. Finally, top the salad with a dash of black pepper.
And just like that, you are ready to go! Pair this with a refreshing summer mocktail, and you have a simple, delicious dish that the whole family will love.
