Quick Antipasto Salad

I have made this for several cookouts and everyone is always impressed by this salad. They'll never know you had a little help from Betty Crocker's Suddenly Salad. The only things I changed to this recipe, is that I used summer sausage instead of salami, and I left out the lettuce for fear it would wilt. I also add a few extra squirts of Italian dressing to the salad just before serving. Sometimes pasta likes to soak up the dressing.

Quick Antipasto Salad

Serves: 6
Source: Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® Caesar pasta salad mix

1/2 cup Italian dressing
4 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 cup cubed salami
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
4 ounces mozzarella or provolone cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 cup)
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained

Instructions:

1. Empty Pasta mix into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well.

3. In large bowl, stir together seasoning mix and dressing. Toss with pasta and remaining ingredients. Stir in croutons and Parmesan topping just before serving. Serve immediately, or refrigerate.

Expert Tips:

Make this salad a day ahead, but wait to stir in the lettuce, croutons and Parmesan topping until just before serving.

Make it your way. Use a 3.5-ounce package of sliced pepperoni instead of the salami; cut the slices in half. Add canned (drained) artichoke hearts, or use other olives from the deli.

Purchase a bag of ready-to-eat torn romaine lettuce to save time.