Creamy Pasta Salad With Sausage
This flavorful creamy pasta salad features hearty vegetables, savory sausage, and a simple three-ingredient dressing, making it an ideal cold side dish for summer events.
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- 1 16 ounce package rotini pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 8 ounces summer sausage diced
- 1 cup broccoli chopped
- 1/2 medium red onion minced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1 can sliced olives drained
- 1 cup cheddar cheese cubed
Dressing:
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 2 teaspoons sugar adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Begin by boiling a large pot of water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente, then drain and let it cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Prepare the Salad:
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a big mixing bowl, combine the sausage, broccoli, red onion, grape tomatoes, olives, and cheddar cheese.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, sugar, salt, and black pepper until well blended.
- After the pasta has cooled for about 5 minutes, combine it with the mixture in the large bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the pasta and sausage mixture, then stir thoroughly to ensure everything is evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.