Making Sunday lunch is always a little daunting to me. I always dream of having a big delicious meal ready & waiting for us after church. That is rarely the case. Sunday mornings in our house with my husband being a pastor means he leaves before I am even thinking of getting out of bed.
And with myself and three young children to get ready, if we can manage to get to the car with everyone alive and nobody crying, then we have really accomplished something pretty amazing.However, this leaves little time for prepping a meal before I scurry out the door. So, whenever I find a delicious but easy recipe, I hold fast to it. This is my new favorite summer pasta salad that my mom made over Memorial Day weekend. It is a Paula Deen recipe and if you know anything about Paula Deen, you know she likes her food to taste good! But, this recipe is really pretty healthy as well. So, if you’re looking for a great meal idea, throw some chicken on the grill and slather it in some barbecue sauce and then whip up this easy salad for a great side. Simple & delicious, enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 pound bow tie pasta
- 1 cup store-bought balsamic vinaigrette dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
- 2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/2 diced green bell pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Grated Parmesan, for topping
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the pasta cook it according to package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinaigrette, mayonnaise, and sugar.
Drain the pasta well, transfer to a large serving bowl, and let cool. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, green pepper, salt, to taste, and the black pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the cheese, toss lightly, and serve.
Note: This salad is great with any extra vegetable add-ins that you may have on hand. Our garden cucumbers were a delicious addition.
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