Greek pasta salad is one of Mr. Crumb’s favorite side dishes. He often requests it when we’re grilling and it brings a smile to his face to see it on a fellowship pot-luck table… in one of our bowls. 
One down-side of that salad is that it’s hard to keep kalamata olives, feta cheese AND sundried tomatoes well-stocked, all at the same time. I can plan to my heart’s content, but as sure as the sky is blue, we’ll be out of one of these three crucial ingredients when Mr. Crumbs makes a last minute request.
The disappointment is heart-breaking!
You can then understand my delight when I was able to find another pasta salad recipe, one that is incredibly versatile, allowing you to throw is whatever may be in the fridge. And the best part?
You don’t have to rely on a bottle of salad dressing.
Without further ado, allow your taste buds to enjoy!
Homemade Italian Salad Dressing
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil2 tablespoons water
1 cup vinegar (any flavor works well)
1 1/2 cups olive oilCombine everything above in a jar or container capable of holding at least 2 1/2 cups. Cover and shake well. Recipe makes just scant of two cups of dressing.
Dressing adapted from Penniless Parenting.
This dressing is great on green salads and fabulous on pasta salads. You can go the common route of mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and black olives, or you can go a healthier route and use vegetables like the version we made. Using only what I had on hand – carrots, leftover broccoli, leftover corn, chopped red onion, fresh parmesan cheese and penne pasta – this recipe quickly became a new family-favorite recipe. Mr. Crumbs wore a satisfied smile after his fourth helping!
Homemade Italian Pasta Salad
8 ounces favorite small/medium pasta, prepared (elbow, penne, bow ties, etc.)
1-2 cups of fresh chopped vegetables (bell peppers, corn, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, etc.)
1/4 cup chopped onion (optional)
2-4 tablespoons shredded cheese (parmesan, mozzarella, or another mild white cheese would be best)
1/3-1/2 cup prepared Italian Salad Dressing (recipe above)Combine pasta, vegetables and optional onion in a large bowl. Add salad dressing to taste and top with shredded cheese, also to taste. Mix well.
The pasta salad could easily be turned into a dinner by adding diced or chopped chicken. Save time in your prep work by combining all the seasonings together in a jar. When you’re ready to make dressing, combine 1 tablespoon of seasoning with 1/2 tablespoon of water, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of oil. Instant homemade salad dressing!
Armed with this recipe and the homemade ranch dressing, you can now host dinner and offer your guests their choice of dressings without plastic!
This post may be shared with any of the fabulous link parties listed here.
Looks delicous! thanks for the recipe. My husband is not a pasta salad fan but my son is about like your husband about it.
Love pasta salad and can never have too many recipes! Thanks for sharing at Church Supper. Have a blessed week & come back soon!
Tiffany,
Love your recipe and your photo said it all. ” Full of Flavor”
You added my favorite vegetables which means, I want to make this salad. It looks y ummy.
Hi Tiffany! These recipes sound delicious! I think I might go and make this now, using what I’ve got in the fridge! Thanks for sharing! Blessings from Bama!
Thanks!
Make your own dressing, that’s great! What a yummy salad, thanks for sharing!
I’m saving this. It looks yummy!
Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!
Thank you for participating in Show Your Stuff Blog Hop, You are invited to come back!
What a beautiful, fresh salad, and I love all the herbs and spices in that wonderful homemade dressing!
Such a healthy light pasta dish. Thank you for sharing it on foodie friday.
That looks delicious! And your pictures are so pretty! Thanks for sharing at the Pomp Party! Hope to see you back next week! Pinning!
Thanks Jill!
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back tomorrow when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts!
Hi Tiffany,
Your Pasta Salad and dressing looks awesome!! Hope you are having a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Hmmm I really need a standby Italian dressing recipe; I don’t really have one. Thanks for linking up to Healthy 2Day Wednesday!
This is a great one to have on hand. You won’t be disappointed!
What a scrumptious salad and salad dressing! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe with us on Allergy-Free Wednesdays.
Thanks Laura!
That looks great. I love the colors. Thanks for sharing this at GF Wednesdays for September’s pasta theme.
This looks great on the table… right before it’s devoured!
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