Fresh Italian Pasta Salad

We love SALAD at our house and we love PASTA too, so why not combine them when we can, right? This is the perfect combo of salad—it's FRESH, cool, and crisp. Not to mention, full of FLAVOR!

Fresh Italian Pasta Salad

3 cups mini farfalle pasta (little bow ties)

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup sliced olives (green, black, or a combo)

1 to 1 1/2 cups cubed pepperoni or salami (or both)

1/4 to 1/3 purple onion, chopped

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup Bernstein's Cheese & Garlic Italian dressing, plus more if necessary

4 to 5 cups chopped iceberg lettuce

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and cool. Combine all ingredients except the lettuce in a large bowl and chill until ready to serve. Toss in the lettuce just before serving and add more dressing if salad seems dry.

TIP: Just like most pasta salads, this one is easy to customize for your family! If you don't like peppers, leave them out. You could add things like fresh tomatoes or mushrooms, or even cubes of fresh mozzarella (the marinated balls would be delicious!).