Italian Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Cold pasta tossed with tomatoes, mozzarella, olives and a tangy red wine vinaigrette—perfect for picnics and BBQs.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 9 oz short pasta (rotini, fusilli, or penne)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
→ Cheese
07 - 3.5 oz mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
08 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan (optional)
→ Vinaigrette Dressing
09 - 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
# How To Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, sliced black olives, and halved mozzarella balls.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, chopped basil, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until emulsified and well blended.
04 - Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta and vegetables. Gently toss until every component is evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top if desired. Serve immediately at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing pulls double duty, soaking into the pasta while keeping every vegetable crisp and bright.
- It travels beautifully, which means you will become the person everyone counts on to bring the side dish.
- Everything comes together in the time it takes the pasta to cook and cool.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here because residual heat keeps cooking it and melts the cheese into an unappetizing stringy mess.
- If you salt the cooking water generously the pasta absorbs seasoning from the inside out and the finished salad tastes noticeably better.
03 -
- Make the dressing in a jar with a tight lid and keep it in the fridge for up to a week, ready for any salad or quick marinade.
- Dice all the vegetables about the same size as the pasta pieces so every forkful delivers a balanced bite instead of one flavor dominating.