The Perfect Tailgate Pasta Salad

How fun is that?! I am totally loving these little Chief Osceola heads!

The school is not only selling collegiate-themed pastas, but they also have fun holiday pastas and other hobbies (like dance, golf, cats, dogs, oh my!). The pasta is so fun and affordable and would make GREAT holiday stocking stuffers and gifts for your loved ones! Please see the link, along with a note from Raquel below about the fundraiser:

Now, onto this pasta salad. The pasta actually came with it’s own seasoning packet, but I wanted to share my favorite pasta salad recipe with you all so I am going to save the packet for another time. This pasta salad recipe is light and lower in fat compared to pasta salads that use mayo. I guess you can say this is an Italian style pasta salad! Just some EVOO and vinegars is all you really need! This pasta salad is perfect for tailgating because it is so easy to make and it does not require any refrigeration (though, if you plan to leave it out for an extended period of time, you may want to leave out the cheese and meat). I threw in some black olives, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese into mine, but you could use any of your favorite ingredients for this recipe!

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Yield: 6 servings

The Perfect Tailgate Pasta Salad

Perfect Tailgate Pasta Salad - Pasta salad with mozzarella cheese, olives, tomatoes and tossed in a balsamic dressing!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pasta, rinsed and drained (you can use any pasta for this!)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, diced into small cubes
• 2 cups black olives, sliced
• 2 tbs. parsley, chopped
• Optional: Diced pepperoni and/or salami

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs. lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, tomatoes, olives, cheese, and parsley. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Pour over the pasta and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours (or overnight).

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 467Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 655mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 14g

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