We make this pasta salad recipe every year and serve it at our holiday picnics. This salad’s zing comes from crushed red pepper flakes. Simply exclude the crushed red peppers to make it “kid friendly” or “senior friendly.” By adding extra dressing, it is easily revived.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 20 mins |
| Additional Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 5 mins |
| Servings: | 10 |
| Yield: | 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 9 ounces baby spinach leaves
- 1 (6 ounce) package sliced pepperoni
- 6 ounces Cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup chopped stuffed olives
- 1 cup Italian dressing (such as Kraft® Tuscan House Italian)
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain into a sieve, run under cold water, and drain well.
- Combine pasta, spinach, pepperoni, Cheddar cheese, olives, Italian dressing, crushed red peppers, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Mix well. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toss again.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 418 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 37 g |
| Cholesterol | 37 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Sodium | 1276 mg |
| Sugars | 4 g |
| Fat | 24 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |