Summer was made for pasta salad, and this creamy, colorful dish is my go-to. My mom whipped it up in the '90s when every pasta salad was smothered with Italian dressing. That version wasn’t my mom’s speed, so she took a risk and switched it up with mayo. She nervously brought it to a pool party, and to her surprise, it was an instant hit. Soon, it became a highly requested dish. Now my own kids ask for it too. —Elise Jesse, Cincinnati, Ohio
Watch How to Make Elise Jesse’s Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 box (16 ounces) uncooked farfalle or fusilli pasta
- 1 package (16 ounces) grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 heads of broccoli florets
- 1 package (16 ounces) sharp cheddar or Colby cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- Optional: crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 pound sliced salami
- dressing:
- 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Cook a 16-oz. box of pasta according to the box directions.
- As the pasta cooks, chop broccoli and green onion, slice tomatoes, and cut cheese into cubes.
- Mix dressing by adding mayonnaise to a medium-sized bowl, and adding Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
- Once pasta has finished cooking, rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking. Place the cooled pasta in an extra-large bowl. Add broccoli, tomatoes, cheese, dressing and green onions to the bowl and mix.
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