Colorful, tasty pasta salad feeds a crowd.
Feed a crowd with an adaptable, make-ahead meal. This pasta salad serves 10 as a cold main course, 25 as a side dish salad or 40 as a single-spoonful potluck selection. It gets better if it sits overnight so the flavors can get acquainted. Even if you've never cooked before, you can make this for the family reunion and impress everyone--or almost everyone.
Instructions
1. Bring 6 qts. of water to a rapid boil in a stockpot, then add the dry pasta.
2. Empty the frozen vegetables into a colander, and place the colander in your sink.
3. When the water returns to a boil, cook the pasta, stirring frequently, for seven minutes.
4. Drain the pasta into the colander over the frozen vegetables, then empty the colander into the large turkey roaster or pan.
5. Bring another 6 qt. of water to a rapid boil, and cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain and add to the fusilli and vegetables in the bowl.
6. Add the 65-oz. jar of marinated artichoke hearts and marinade to the bowl, and mix gently.
7. Open and add the can of stewed tomatoes, juice and all.
8. Pour on the bottle of Italian dressing. Don't worry if this looks soupy. The pasta will absorb a lot of the liquids.
9. Open, drain and add beans and olives.
10. Add the chunks of salami and all the fresh vegetables, and mix gently. You may need to use your hands to turn the salad. Try not to break up the pasta with rough handling.
11. Cover and let sit in your refrigerator several hours or overnight. Turn gently when you think of it.
Tags: boil cook, frozen vegetables, into colander, rapid boil, water rapid