Home Town Drive-In Pasta Salad

4.7
(6)

A small drive-in dairy bar in our town which has been closed for some time used to make this...my kids missed it. I remembered they had the ingredients posted to a board in the drive-in for some reason, so I worked on trying to get it the way they prepared it. It's finally right and I thought I would share it. We like this at room temperature, but it certainly can be refrigerated.

3
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Additional Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
55 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 ounce) package tri-color rotini pasta

  • ¼ cup white sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 tablespoons hot water

  • ¼ cup white vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano

  • 1 large tomato, diced

  • 1 red bell pepper, diced

  • ¼ cup finely diced sweet onion

  • 1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

  • 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste (Optional)

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini pasta at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water to cool.

  2. Whisk sugar, salt, and hot water in a large salad bowl until sugar has dissolved. Stir vinegar, vegetable oil, and oregano into sugar mixture to make a dressing. Mix tomato, red bell pepper, and onion in the dressing. Gently fold rotini into dressing and vegetables, mix in Cheddar cheese, and season with black pepper.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

338 Calories
14g Fat
41g Carbs
13g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 338
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g 17%
Saturated Fat 7g 33%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 469mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 13g 26%
Vitamin C 23mg 25%
Calcium 225mg 17%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 226mg 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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