Veggie Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 240 Minutes

Cook Time: 0 Minutes

Ready In: 240 Minutes

Servings: 1

A veggie loaded pasta salad that is a light yet filling enough to use as a main dish. These are the ingredients I normally use but sometimes I'll vary them, I like tomatos in it but dh doesn't so I make it this way. I love pasta salads but the veggies really add a delicious flavor. I will admit its time consuming but it is worth it. Letting it marinate adds flavor and softens the veggies. I really like the next day leftovers however when I do it with egg and cheese I add these at the last minute so they don't become mushy. Makes a huge salad so fill free to adjust amounts I normally make it for potlucks or large gatherings and eat any leftovers later. I use a huge bowl or split all ingredients between two medium size bowls. I also estimated the amount of each type of veggie I used feel free to add and take away as you desire. Adjust dressing to your desired amount I like alot. Also if you let it sit too long the noodles will get mushy but it never lasts over a day or two at our house so its not an issue!

Ingredients:

1 lb garden rotini pasta (adds extra flavor, it has three colors, carrot and spinach flavors are usually added to the noodles)

1/2 lb broccoli (cut into bite sized pieces)

1/2 lb cauliflower (cut into bite sized pieces)

1/2 lb baby carrots (sliced into thirds)

1 bunch radish (i usually cut them into 1/4 or1/6)

1/2 green peppers (diced) (optional) or 1/2 red pepper (diced) (optional)

0.5 (8 ounce) can black olives (slice, if you get the smaller presliced cans you'll need 2)

1/2 lb cooked ham (diced)

3 large hard-boiled eggs (large dice)

1/2 lb colby-monterey jack cheese (grated)

2 (16 ounce) bottles italian dressing

salt (optional)

pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil rotini according to package directions for al dente, drain put in large bowl or split between two medium sized bowls (note if you do this you will have to put 1/2 of each ingredient in each bowl) let cool stirring occasionally so noodles don't stick together.
2. Boil three eggs until hard boiled cool (they will peel better while still warm then let them cool the rest of the way).
3. Wash and cut veggies
4. Stir cut veggies into noodles.
5. Add diced ham to bowl.
6. Stir in one bottle of italian dressing.
7. Put in fridge and let marinate at least 2 hrs
8. Dice egg and cheese right before pulling out rest of salad.
9. Pull out 20-30 minutes before serving
10. Mix in cheese and egg.
11. Let marinate another 20 minutes.
12. Stir in at least another half of bottle of italian dressing more if desired (I like lots of dressing).
13. Serve as an entree or side dish let people salt and pepper to taste even though I do neither.

By RecipeOfHealth.com