When the weather gets hot, pasta salad can be a great addition to any barbecue, picnic or cold meal spread. This classic vegetarian and vegan italian pasta salad recipe are packed with plenty of vegetables, so it is both nutritious and delicious. Using a pre-made italian salad dressing, this quick and easy side italian pasta salad recipe is a great dish when you're looking for a recipe for a warm weather side dish or main course. Serve as a side dish at your next picnic or on a hot day when standing over a hot stove is not an option. Looking for more ideas for what to bring to a vegetarian or vegan potluck or picnic? Most people will bring a traditional dish like a vegetarian pasta salad or a vegetarian potato salad and there will likely be plenty of bean salads too. Just about any vegan dessert will always be welcome, and, the last vegan potluck we went to, we brought vegan spring rolls and they were gone in a flash (in hindsight, we should have made a double batch). Recipe adapted from the compassionate cook cookbook by e. Christensen, reprinted with permission.