Italian Vegetable Toss

Name: Italian Vegetable Toss
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups medium pasta shells; 2 cups broccoli; 1 cup cauliflower; 1 cup fresh mushrooms; 1 can artichoke hearts; 1 cup black olives; ½ cup scallions; ⅔ cup Italian salad dressing; 1 whole avocado; 1 whole globe tomato; provolone; salami or pepperoni; toasted chickpeas; Parmesan; parsley

A long chill lets Italian dressing settle into the pasta shells and raw florets. Add the avocado and tomato just before serving, so every forkful stays fresh and colorful.

By Betty Lou Gardner3 hr 30 minUpdated 2026-08-25

This Italian Vegetable Toss is a colorful pasta salad packed with crisp vegetables, olives, artichokes, and a bright Italian dressing! The combination of fresh textures and savory flavors creates a refreshing dish that feels hearty enough for a light meal yet versatile enough for picnics, potlucks, and family gatherings. After a few hours of chilling, the flavors blend beautifully into every bite.

Betty Lou Gardner in a family archival photograph

Granny’s Kitchen Notes

From Betty Lou Gardner

This is one of those salads I like to make ahead because it never seems quite finished until it has spent some time in the refrigerator. The vegetables stay crisp, the dressing settles in, and everything tastes a little better by the next day. I always save the avocado for the very end because I've learned the hard way that it doesn't like to wait around nearly as much as the rest of the salad.