My Take on Nana’s Pasta Salad Recipe

Ok, before we dive in…

I had the best intentions of sharing Nana’s actual recipe. But after I sent her a screengrab of this page, she called me to tell me that each bullet point was wrong — as any spicy Italian grandmother would. And because about 70% of it was wrong, this is my take on Nana’s Pasta Salad Recipe. 🤷🏻‍♂️

In the five or six years that I’ve been making this salad this way, I’ve yet to encounter anyone who hasn’t liked it. Sure, some will strategically eat around the black olives (like I do with the celery); but overall, it’s a hit.

It’s best to make this ahead of time, but life is busy, and/or we like to procrastinate so it’s possible to make the day of. Shh, don’t tell Nana! You’ll want as much time for the pasta, dressing, and seasoning to soak on its own, and then at least a couple hours for the vegetables, too.

Whether you’ve signed up for an office potluck, have a friend’s BBQ to attend, or just want something delicious to graze on, this pasta salad is the easiest thing in the world. Generally, I’ll chop the veggies as the pasta cooks, and just toss them into a gallon Ziploc to make life easier for future me.

Bon appétit! 

My Take on Nana’s Famous Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 box of tri-color rotini pasta (serves 6-8) 

• Veggies (Literally anything you like)

  I usually add:

  • 6 Diced Persian or 3/4 of one English cucumber

  • 1 pack of Halved grape tomatoes

  • Finely chopped green onion for flavor

  • 1/4-inch sliced celery

  • 1/4-inch sliced carrots

  • 1 small can of sliced black olives

• A full bottle of Zesty Italian dressing

• McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning

Prep

Note:

It's best to let the pasta, dressing, and Salad Supreme marinate overnight, then add the vegetables the next day so they don’t get soggy — but if you're like me, and forget until the day of, it’s ok, just leave enough time for the veggies to soak for 2-3 hours before serving.

1. Cook your pasta al dente, rinse thoroughly with cool water, then add to a large bowl or sealable container

2. Skim the oil from the top of the Italian dressing, then stir in the remainder of the bottle

3. Add 1/4-ish of the Salad Supreme bottle into the mix, stirring regularly

4. Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally (every few hours is fine)

5. Combine veggies with pasta, and continue stirring occasionally

6. Stir thoroughly once more before serving