Pasta Salad for a Crowd

This is my go-to pasta salad recipe for a crowd! It's great for showers, picnics, parties, you name it! My mother-in-law taught me to make it. It is easy and very versatile. Today I made it for an event, and I decided to keep track of the measurements so that it could be shared with others who may need a large crowd pasta salad recipe. Hope you enjoy! Better when refrigerated overnight.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 141 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 (16 ounce) bottles Italian-style salad dressing
• 6 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 pounds garden rotini pasta
• 2 (16 ounce) packages steam-in-bag frozen broccoli florets
• 16 ounces Cheddar cheese, cubed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.

Step 2

While pasta is boiling, steam broccoli, one bag at a time, in a microwave per directions on the package, 4 to 6 minutes.

Step 3

Rinse cooked pasta in a colander until completely cool. Return to the pot. Add broccoli, tomatoes, salad dressing, Cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well. Refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Serve cold.