Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

5 from 1 vote

Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

Looking for a pasta salad that’s a little different from the usual? This family-favorite recipe skips the olives and salami, but still brings all the creamy, crunchy and zesty flavors we love. Tender pasta is tossed with Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese and just the right mix of crunchy veggies.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Chilling Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: people as a side dish

Calories: 222kcal

Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

Ingredients

8 ounces pasta shells, mini-penne, elbow etc.
¾ cup Italian salad dressing your favorite brand, I recommend (affiliate link) Olive Garden Italian salad dressing
¾ cup grated carrots
1 cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped onion
½ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated, plus more for garnish
½ cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons dried parsley plus more for garnish

Instructions

Cook Pasta & Chill

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box and drain. (Don’t rinse.)
8 ounces pasta
Let the pasta cool for a few minutes in the colander or strainer over the sink.
While still warm, place the pasta in a medium-sized bowl and toss it with the Italian salad dressing. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
¾ cup Italian salad dressing

Prep the Vegetables & Cheese

Grate the carrots, chop the celery and onion and grate the Parmesan cheese. Set aside and refrigerate until the pasta is ready.
¾ cup grated carrots, 1 cup chopped celery, ¼ cup chopped onion, ½ cup Parmesan cheese

Combine Ingredients

After chilling for 4 hours or overnight, remove the pasta from the fridge and stir in the carrots, celery, onion and Parmesan cheese. Gently stir in the sour cream and spices, pepper and dried parsley.
½ cup sour cream, ¼ teaspoon celery seed, 1 tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons dried parsley
Cover and refrigerate until serving. Garnish with additional dried parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 5 days.

Notes

Finely grate, or shred, the Parmesan cheese and carrots using the "small holes" on your cheese grater. These keep the cheese and carrot shreds subtle, easy to blend with the other ingredients and easy to scoop.

Nutrition