Prep 15 min, Cook time 10 min

Serves 6

Ingredients

• ½ lb. pasta, uncooked
• 3 oz. salami
• 1 + ½ cup grape or cherry tomatoes (1 pint), halved
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• ¼ cup red onion, chopped
• ½ cup kalamata black olives, halved
• 4 oz. small fresh mozzarella balls, halved (can also dice up chunk mozzarella if fresh isn’t available)
• ½ cup Italian dressing, homemade or store-bought
• Parmesan cheese, grated (optional, for serving)

Directions

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and rinse pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool the pasta down.
2. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl or serving bowl*. Add remaining ingredients. Pour Italian salad dressing on top, and toss to combine.
3. You can serve immediately with Parmesan on top, or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours which will allow flavors to infuse into each other. When ready to serve, give the salad a good toss and add a little more dressing or fresh parsley, if desired.

*Note:  If not assembling salad immediately after cooking pasta, olive oil can be mixed with the pasta to prevent sticking.