PATRIOTIC PASTA

Patriotic Pasta image

Serve this patriotic pasta salad loaded with tomatoes, blue cheese, and pasta for a festive addition to the 4th of July picnic table.

Provided by OlgaB

Categories Salad Vegetable Salad Recipes Cauliflower

Time 1h45m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
1 ½ teaspoons milk
½ teaspoon honey mustard
½ teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 ½ cups penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon minced fresh basil
2 ½ cups cauliflower florets
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch strips
3 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese, milk, honey mustard, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl.
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in penne and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain and transfer to a bowl.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic and basil until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour garlic mixture over penne. Mix cauliflower, tomatoes, red bell pepper, mozzarella cheese, green onion, and Parmesan cheese into penne mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors, about 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 284.7 calories, Carbohydrate 38.3 g, Cholesterol 12.7 mg, Fat 10.7 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Protein 10.5 g, SaturatedFat 3.4 g, Sodium 249.5 mg, Sugar 2.7 g