Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

For me, pasta salads are either a hit or miss. They are either too salty, the dressing is bitter, the noodles somehow don't taste like pasta, or they blend perfectly and I eat the whole bowl. I consider this recipe a eat-the-whole-bowl recipe. 

Who: Unfortunately, my picker eater husband does not like this recipe bc 1. he does not like Italian dressing and 2. he doesn't like 3 of the 5 extra ingredients I add in, so I don't blame him. But for any of you who are as obsessed with caprese- like variations, this is as close as it gets, pasta-salad-style-wise due to the cubed mozzarella and fresh raw veggies.   

What: You can change this recipe to fit your needs and desires. Don't like black olives? Switch them to green. For me, I don't like red meat, so I use turkey pepperonis instead. It's easy to change up so you don't get sick and tired of the same old meals.

Where: Last summer, I made two batches of this for my going away party and it was almost completely devoured. It's graduation, picnic, and bar-b-que season. What better dish to bring or serve for a large crowd?

Why: It's cheap and easy and serves a lot of people with one batch. Plus, leftovers taste amazing and are easy to pack for lunches. (**Tip: the priciest ingredient on the list is probably the mozzarella cheese. Fresh mozzarella is a staple in my house, but unless it's on sale, it can cost up to $8 for a stick. If you belong to Costco, you get two full sticks of mozzarella for $7. Just freeze what you aren't using until you need it.)

This is another recipe I owe to Pintrest. I discovered it over a year ago and no longer have it on my board, so I can't trace the original site I found it from. Sorry if I'm stealing your recipe, but thanks for sharing!

My final tip: the Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Classic pasta salad mix is NOT in the pasta isle. The first time I made this (keep in mind, I'd never made packaged dinner mixes until this year) it took me forever to find this ingredient. It's located right by the hamburger helper meals and the instant rice packages. 
Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

Ingredients: 
1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Classic pasta salad mix
1/2 c. Fat Free Italian dressing
1/2 c. sliced green pepper
3.5 oz sliced pepperoni (halved)
1 c. cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 c. cubed mozzarella
1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives, drained

1. Empty pasta mix into boiling water. Boil uncovered for 8-12 mins, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse with cold water. 

2. In a large bowl, stir in seasoning mix and Italian dressing with pasta. Toss in remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or refrigerate. 

Voila! Can it really get any easier than that?