Pizza Pasta Salad
What says summer gathering like pasta salad? This fun twist on a classic side dish is extra filling. Serve with all your potluck or barbecue favorites.
Equipment
- Mortar and Pestle
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- ⅛ tsp whole peppercorns - about 8 peppercorns
- ¾ tsp dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces dry rotini pasta
- ⅓ cup chopped baby bella mushrooms - about 4 whole mushrooms
- 1 2.25 ounce can black olives
- ½ cup mini pepperoni
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan - regular or dairy free
- 2 roma tomatoes - diced
- 2 small sweet peppers - diced or sliced
For the Pasta Water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Add salt, olive oil and pasta and give it a stir.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the mushrooms and a little bit of olive oil. Toss them around and sauté just until they start to brown. You don't want them to completely cook down and soften.
- Remove mushrooms from heat and add to a bowl. Set aside.
- When the pasta is done, drain it and set it aside in a bowl. Don't put it back into the hot pot.
Making the dressing
- Add peppercorns to mortar and use the pestle to grind them into a coarse powder.
- Add in garlic and oregano and grind everything into a paste.
- Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar and honey. Mix thoroughly.
Assemble the pasta salad
- Once the pasta is completely cooled, pour in the dressing and stir it in to evenly coat the pasta.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients and toss it all together.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but ideally 2-3 hours.