Pizza Pasta Salad
Hey, y'all should be very proud of me!! I have managed to post more than two recipes in August so far. Seems Grandma Mary needed to get her back-to-school routine going too I guess. :) Just in time too, because fall is right around the corner now, and I've still got some summer left to share yet!I love a good pasta salad in the summer and I sure can make a meal of this one.
A mixture of pasta, dressed with a tomato vinaigrette, I tossed mine with some of my favorite pizza toppings - pepperoni, bacon, purple onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, sliced black olives and tossed with grape tomatoes and bits of fresh mozzarella. You can include some of your own favorites too of course - cooked and crumbled beef or sausage, grilled chicken are very good, as are a variety of cheeses and hot peppers - make it your own!
Check out these salad claws nested by my pasta dish y'all.
It's another product I learned about from daytime television and I love them! You know how you end up chasing green salads, pasta salads or pasta dishes, or even chopped fruit around the serving bowl and then half of it spills over on the table? I had that very experience just yesterday at a party I went to.
Well this little one-handed tool eliminates that problem, because they act like a claw, grasping a single serving at once, and making it super easy to transfer from bowl to plate. They would be a great tool to have on hand for football parties, plus they're inexpensive and come in a variety of colors, so grab a few to have on hand. It's another of my favorite kitchen gadgets - love love love!!
For more of my favorite pasta salads, check out the collection on my Pinterest page!

Recipe: Pizza Pasta Salad
©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Yield: About 4 to 6 servings
Prep time: 20 min |Inactive time: 6 hours | |
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
For the Salad:
- 1/2 cup V-8 (regular or spicy)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili sauce or ketchup
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, (like Slap Ya Mama) optional
Instructions
- 2 cups dry tri-color rotini pasta
- 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup chopped purple onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup each green and red bell peppers, chopped
- 1 cup medium pitted black olives, sliced
- 1-1/2 cups of mini or quartered pepperoni slices
- 1 (4 ounce) jar or can button mushrooms, drained, optional
- 1 cup grape tomato, sliced lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or parsley
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls or fresh mozzarella cubed or cubed cheddar
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- Dash dried Italian seasoning
Whisk dressing ingredients together; set aside. Boil the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse well and set aside. Cook bacon to crisp, cool, crumble and set aside.
To the drained pasta, add all of the vegetables and fresh herbs. Stir in the dressing, toss and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Set aside a tablespoon of bacon for garnish, add remaining bacon and the cheese to pasta salad just before serving. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and the reserved bacon, if desired. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Cook's Notes: Add or substitute prepared and cooled, refrigerated cheese tortellini. Add a variety of different proteins, such as cooked and crumbled ground beef, sausages, or chopped, grilled chicken, as well as different cheeses and hot peppers. Double for a potluck or party.
Source: http://www.deepsouthdish.com
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©Deep South Dish
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