Love the combination of sweet and savory? You have to try this 3-ingredient Italian Poppy Seed Pasta Salad recipe! It’s my own creation (or at least I think it is), and it’s pretty darn delicious if I do say so myself! Check it out and make a batch for lunch, or double-batch it and make it for your spring & summer parties.
A few months ago, before finances took a turn for the worse, I was going through this major Suddenly Salad pasta phase. Both my mom and I loved heir Classic pasta salad, and we were going through a couple of boxes a week! See, while delicious, there’s very little pasta in each box. Just over half a pound. When money got super tight, I had to start reevaluating the convenience food that we we buying. I decided that I could make a larger batch of Italian pasta salad for about the same amount (or less) as the Suddenly Salad.
The result was delicious, but I was looking for a way to make it even better. That’s when I discovered the yummy combination of Italian dressing & poppy seed dressing. If you like sweet and savory, you’ll love it, too! Here’s how to make it. I promise, it’s SUPER simple.
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Sweet & Savory Italian Poppy Seed Pasta Salad Recipe
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I made a double batch because we go through it like crazy, but the directions below are for a single batch. Just double everything if you want to make enough for a party.
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Ingredients
- 12-oz box of tri-color Rotini (less than $1 at Walmart or Aldis)
- 16-oz bottle of plain Italian Dressing
(I got mine at Aldis for about $1) - Poppy Seed Dressing (I used Kraft this time because it was on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like)
(I got mine at Aldis for about $1)
(I used Kraft this time because it was on sale, but you can use whatever brand you like)How to Make It
- Cook the Rotini according to the package (boil water, add the pasta, boil until tender)
- Drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water until all of the pasta is cool. I use my sink’s sprayer attachment.
- Pour the pasta into a big bowl (I put it right into my Rubbermaid container)
)
- Mix in about 1/2 of the bottle of Italian dressing. Keep the rest reserved for those who want to add a bit more to their pasta salad.
- Stir really well. I put the lid on and shake it like crazy.
- Add about 8oz of Poppy Seed Dressing right to the pasta salad OR add about 1-2 tablespoons to individual servings of the salad (more on this below)
When I make mine, I add the poppy seed dressing to individual bowls because my mom doesn’t really like it. If you stop before the poppy seed, you have a pretty good Suddenly Salad copycat recipe!
One note about doubling the recipe: you don’t really have to double the Italian dressing. When I make two boxes of rotini, I end up using about 2/3 of the bottle.
If you don’t need it to be pretty, you can stretch your budget a smidge further by using plain rotini. You get a pound of it for the same price as 12 ounces of tri-color rotini. I don’t understand why they don’t sell a pound of tri-color. It seems to only come in 12oz. Weird.
Like I said, this recipe makes for a quick and easy lunch, and you’ll have enough of it to last you a few days. A double batch also makes for a great summer barbecue side dish!
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Italian Poppy Seed Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Description
This yummy pasta salad recipe uses just three ingredients & takes under 30 minutes to make! If you love the combo of sweet and savory, give it a try!
Ingredients
- 12 oz Box of Tri-Color Rotini
- 16 oz Italian Salad Dressing
- 12 oz Poppy Seed Dressing
Instructions
- Cook the Rotini according to the package (boil water, add the pasta, boil until tender)
Drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water until all of the pasta is cool. I use my sink’s sprayer attachment.
Pour the pasta into a big bowl
Mix in about 1/2 of the bottle of Italian dressing. Keep the rest reserved for those who want to add a bit more to their pasta salad.
Stir really well. I put the lid on and shake it like crazy.
Add about 8oz of Poppy Seed Dressing right to the pasta salad OR add about 1-2 tablespoons to individual servings of the salad
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
This looks really delicious! Thanks for the great idea!
This does sound good, and I’d rather make it like this than get the convenience. Good option for the tight budget, I’ve been eating homemade flatbread and have it with peanut butter, a budget stretcher.
Oooh, homemade flatbread with peanut butter sounds good!
So easy to make and turned out great! Looks so delicious!
This looks so yummy and I will have to try out the recipe 🙂
This looks good and tasty
That dressing combo sounds delicious. I love pasta, hot or cold.
I do love pasta and this sounds delicious!