Burgers and hot dogs get all the buzz, but let’s be honest – it’s the side dishes that make a July 4th cookout sparkle like fireworks.
That said, July 4th is a holiday and making sides can be a lot of work. You don’t want to spend all day on your day off cooking in the kitchen, right? Good news – With this three-step star spangled pasta salad, you won’t have to!
Declare your independence from difficult-to-make side dishes with this recipe from Delish!
Ingredients
1 lb cooked fusilli pasta
8 oz mozzarella balls, halved
4 oz salami, quartered
1 c. artichoke hearts, chopped
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 c. pitted black olives, sliced
1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- In a large bowl, toss pasta, mozzarella, salami, artichokes, tomatoes, and olives.
- In a jar, combine oil, garlic, vinegar, parsley, Italian seasoning, and red pepper. Secure with a lid, then shake to combine; season with salt and black pepper.
- Pour dressing over pasta salad and toss to combine.
No promises, but when you bring this pasta salad to your July 4th celebration, it might just be a bigger hit than the burgers!