NOT YOUR USUAL PASTA SALAD

Not Your Usual Pasta Salad image

I created this salad because I wanted something with a little kick and a lot of texture and taste. This is a recipe you can tweak to make it your own. It keeps well in fridge and is best served cold as a side dish. You can add diced ham or even a can of chunky tuna to make a complete meal.

Provided by KB COUNTRYGIRL

Time 1h40m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package seashell pasta
8 slices bacon
1 cup creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip®)
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 red onion, finely diced
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
½ green bell pepper, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
½ cup sliced black olives
½ cup diced sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook shell pasta at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels; crumble.
Whisk creamy salad dressing, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, and oregano together in a bowl to make a creamy dressing.
Mix pasta, bacon, red onion, water chestnuts, eggs, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, celery, olives, Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese together in a large bowl. Add dressing and stir to coat. Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 247.4 calories, Carbohydrate 26.7 g, Cholesterol 68.4 mg, Fat 11.8 g, Fiber 1.8 g, Protein 8.9 g, SaturatedFat 3.1 g, Sodium 381.3 mg, Sugar 4.3 g