Best bottled Italian dressing for pasta salad?

[cabanafrau]

I guess a gallon of vinegar and a gallon of soybean oil should do it. I used a 1.33 gallon jug of Heinz vinegar over a year, although it was mostly for pickling and cleaning. It cost maybe $3.25 at Costco. I guess one could also spend extra on some fancy olive oil instead of a neutral vegetable oil.

I kind of wonder what would be used to cook enough pasta for 100 people. I remember the time my uncle came back from the East Coast with cases of lobsters, and we were boiling them in a humongous enamel pot.

Hopefully not using both gallons of vinegar and oil.

Personally I use olive oil. Can also skip the Good Seasons and use herbs and spices. Plenty of recipes onlline.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

If they still made it...the old fashion PIZZA HUT dressing. It was the most zesty tasting Italian dressing ever.

Seriously though I would do the seasonings, vinegar, and oil.

There are flavored oils, fyi. So many!

 

[wenrob]

Another vote for Ken's (light) Northern Italian. I also like Berstien's (light) Cheese Fantastico.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I have used the Olive Garden, and we like it.
I don't make sure the pasta is super dry and add extra Light olive oil for a fresher/lighter taste.

I do the same with Original Hidden Valley Ranch packet, when I make like a Ranch pasta salad with chicken. My son loves bacon on his... And we top with a good shredded cheese.

Sometimes a 'dressing' as-is can be too much for a fresh summer pasta salad!

 

[bcla]

Hopefully not using both gallons of vinegar and oil.

Personally I use olive oil. Can also skip the Good Seasons and use herbs and spices. Plenty of recipes onlline.

Sure lots of this stuff could be done from scratch, but the big issue is that herbs and spices tend to be cost prohibitive unless you can get them cheap (I've seen bulk spices pretty cheap) or you're using them more than once. I found a place that sold some bulk spices and I compared it to the little McCormack spices sold at most supermarkets. It could be anywhere from 10 to 20 times more. The one I really didn't get was bay leaves. It was $3 a lb, but a jar with maybe a dozen leaves cost $5. I bought that much for 15 cents in bulk.

I've actually been making mac and cheese using Kraft Singles and butter. It's way better than anything made with a powder. I get that a lot of our staples are overpriced to take the guesswork out of it.

 

[shoney]

I don't use bottled dressing
I just sauté chopped garlic in some oils and add it to the pasta salad. Then dump more oil and some vinegar in. Then sprinkle with some basil and oregano and a little s&p. Mix thoroughly. Very easy

 

[Wishing on a star]

BCLA, hopefully you are using the good Deli Deluxe singles (yummmm) and not the cheap processed soybean-oil stuff.

I use butter, singles, light olive oil, salt, a little pepper, and fresh whole milk with a little flour dissolved into it while still cold. Stir into the mac/rotelli with some Sargento shredded Double cheddar. Really good. A pinch of mustard powder also can add to it, a little bit of flavor/kick. But not so much that you really taste it.

I did this, and added chunks of fresh ground round (cook kind of like patties, then drain well and break up into good sized chunks) some well drained canned diced tomato... Dump into a casserole dish/pan and top with fresh cooked bacon bits, a little more shredded cheese, and some fresh bread zapped into crumbs in the blender... bake until top begins to brown. kids/boys love this bacon/cheeseburger/mac casserole!

 

[A. Mara Ziwadie]

I have to make pasta salad for about 100 people tomorrow.

I'm looking for recommendations for bottled Italian dressing.
I think I thought Olive Garden was too thick last time I tried it.

A friend recommended Newman's Own Parmesan and Roasted Garlic, but I've never tried it and don't know if it's actually Italian dressing.

Any suggestions? Thank you!

Well, Olive Garden dressing tells you on the bottle it is made from GMOs. So scratch that. Although, it's not required that they tell you, so any other dressing could be, too. Ken's Italian Dressing is good for pasta salad. And I don't mean the zesty Italian or light Italian. The regular Italian dressing.

 

[bcla]

BCLA, hopefully you are using the good Deli Deluxe singles (yummmm) and not the cheap processed soybean-oil stuff.

Nah - just Kraft American Singles. I guess they're technically "processed cheese food" but they don't contain any vegetable oil. It's pretty much just milk added to cheddar cheese. It's way better than the stuff in a box. I've tried the "Deluxe" Kraft Mac and Cheese as well as the Velveeta one. They're definitely smoother than any of the powdered mac and cheese, but way too salty for me. I do remember taking that backpacking, and the bag of gelatinous cheese sauce was easier to prepare and didn't require added butter or milk.

 

[kmb584]

I've always used a packet of Good Seasons, but after reading this thread I'm going to try Ken's the next time I make pasta salad!

 

[RedAngie]

I use whatever standard supermarket brand I happen to have at the time: Wish Bone, Kraft, Ken's, etc.

 

[sksjasams]

Thank you everyone for your replies!!
I'm definitely going to go with a bottled italian - I am just not up to trying to mix my own - don't even have a bottle or jar to do so. I would feel more confident with something premade.

For the logistics, I plan on boiling two boxes of tri-colored rotini at a time. I'm thinking a total of 8 12oz boxes.

I am curious about this McCormick's Salad Supreme seasoning. Is that something you can add to the salad even if you are using bottled dressing? How much do you use and what does it add to the salad?

Thanks again!

 

[bcla]

Thank you everyone for your replies!!
I'm definitely going to go with a bottled italian - I am just not up to trying to mix my own - don't even have a bottle or jar to do so. I would feel more confident with something premade.

For the logistics, I plan on boiling two boxes of tri-colored rotini at a time. I'm thinking a total of 8 12oz boxes.

I am curious about this McCormick's Salad Supreme seasoning. Is that something you can add to the salad even if you are using bottled dressing? How much do you use and what does it add to the salad?

Thanks again!

https://www.mccormick.com/spices-an.../blends/perfect-pinch-salad-supreme-seasoning

It's not really a spice mix.

 

[Jennabeth]

Thank you everyone for your replies!!
I'm definitely going to go with a bottled italian - I am just not up to trying to mix my own - don't even have a bottle or jar to do so. I would feel more confident with something premade.

For the logistics, I plan on boiling two boxes of tri-colored rotini at a time. I'm thinking a total of 8 12oz boxes.

I am curious about this McCormick's Salad Supreme seasoning. Is that something you can add to the salad even if you are using bottled dressing? How much do you use and what does it add to the salad?

Thanks again!

Yes, I add what ever bottled dressing is on sale until it's the right consistency (not too dry, not too soggy), then sprinkle the seasoning in it until I like the taste. A little goes a long way so sprinkle and taste as you go. It's gives it a distinct flavor and is what separates my salad from my sister's, mine always goes first . I also add cucumbers, green peppers and tomatoes. I call it "summer in a bowl" because it is so pretty, especially with the tri-color rotini.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Thank you everyone for your replies!!
I'm definitely going to go with a bottled italian - I am just not up to trying to mix my own - don't even have a bottle or jar to do so. I would feel more confident with something premade.

For the logistics, I plan on boiling two boxes of tri-colored rotini at a time. I'm thinking a total of 8 12oz boxes.

I am curious about this McCormick's Salad Supreme seasoning. Is that something you can add to the salad even if you are using bottled dressing? How much do you use and what does it add to the salad?

Thanks again!

Just so you know, Walmart sells 16oz. boxes of the tri-color rotini for the same price as any other pound of pasta. I always buy it there--everyone else sells 12oz. boxes for the same price. Unfortunately, Walmart still sells the 12oz. boxes of farfelle.

I swear, I'm not a Walmart representative or anything, but I do shop there a lot. My family goes crazy for my pasta salad, so I make it a lot, especially in summer months.