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Christmas Pasta Salad

This Christmas Pasta Salad is a festive holiday side dish made with farfalle pasta, cheese tortellini, green beans, cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, mozzarella pearls, and a homemade Italian dressing. Serve at Christmas dinner, holiday potlucks, and family gatherings.
Print Recipe
Christmas Pasta Salad
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:35 minutes

Ingredients

For Italian Dressing

  • ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pepperoncini brine
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • ⅔ cup olive oil

For Pasta Salad

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for the pasta water
  • 8 oz farfalle pasta
  • 1 10 oz package refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • 12 oz fresh green beans trimmed and cut into thirds
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 4 oz pepperoni cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup chopped red bell peppers
  • ¼ cup chopped pepperoncini
  • 8 oz mozzarella pearls
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped

Instructions

  • Add the white wine vinegar, pepperoncini brine, kosher salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and minced garlic to a jar with a lid. Shake well to combine. Pour in the olive oil, close the lid, and shake again until everything is mixed. Set the dressing aside.
  • Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle pasta and cook according to the package directions.
  • During the last 3 minutes of the farfalle's cooking time, add the refrigerated cheese tortellini and green beans to the same pot. Continue cooking until the pasta is tender and the green beans are crisp-tender.
  • Drain the pasta, tortellini, and green beans in a colander. Rinse them thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let everything drain well so extra water doesn't thin out the dressing.
  • In a large serving bowl, add the cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, red bell peppers, and chopped pepperoncini. Add the cooled pasta, tortellini, green beans, mozzarella pearls, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
  • Give the Italian dressing another good shake, then pour it over the salad. Gently toss everything together until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated.
  • Sprinkle the fresh parsley over the top. Serve right away or refrigerate until you're ready to serve. If making it ahead, give it another toss before bringing it to the table.
Servings: 10
Calories: 420kcal
Author: carlycampbell