Pasta Salad Recipe

Today’s recipe is a picnic-perfect pasta salad! Every cookout needs a great pasta salad, and this is the one that I’ll be making all summer long. It comes together in no time, it’s full of fresh ingredients, and it packs a flavorful punch.

I took extra care to make sure that all of this week’s recipes are not just easy, but also easy to make in advance… because I totally get that you don’t want to be futzing with your salad when you could be spending time outside with your friends.

Note: if you do decide to make this in advance, toss on some whole basil leaves before serving to make your salad instantly prettier.

I’ve made many pasta salads before (see here and here), but I realized that I didn’t have a really good classic pasta salad with a vinaigrette dressing on the site. This recipe is easy and fresh – along with the pasta, I toss in juicy cherry tomatoes, tangy feta cheese, a generous handful of arugula, chickpeas for protein, pine nuts & little cucumbers for crunch, and lots of fresh parsley and basil.

The dressing is easy to make: it’s a zesty mix of olive oil, lemon, garlic, Dijon, herbs & seasonings – I like to use herbes de Provence but Italian seasoning would be equally good in its place.

This pasta salad is fantastic as-is, but feel free to change it up to match your tastes or the ingredients in your pantry. Here are a few suggestions:

Quick and Easy Pasta Salad

This easy pasta salad is flexible based on the ingredients you have in your kitchen or the season. Start with a hearty pasta shape that has nooks and crannies to hold onto the dressing like rotini or penne. Then toss with our simple dressing and lots of colorful vegetables. We also love adding parmesan cheese, which melts into the dressing as well as a handful of fresh mozzarella balls. For more suggestions for what to add, read through our recommendations in the article above.

Prep: 10min

Total: 20min

Yield: Makes about 10 servings

Serving Size: 1/10 of the salad

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1/10 of the salad, calories 363, Fat 19.1g, Saturated Fat 5.1g, Cholesterol 18.3mg, Sodium 507.1mg, Carbohydrate 36.6g, Fiber 2.3g, Sugar 2g, Protein 11.7g

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried pasta like fusilli, penne, rotini or farfalle (bow tie)
• 1 cup sliced bell pepper (1 medium)
• 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini (1/2 medium)
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions (5 to 6)
• 1/4 cup sliced pepperoncini or banana peppers, optional
• 1 cup (4 ounces) halved mixed olives
• 1 cup (2 ounces) grated parmesan cheese or hard cheese
• 1 cup (6 ounces) fresh mozzarella balls, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley or basil, optional
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 to 3 tablespoons juice from pepperoncini jar, optional
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instruction:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, 6 to 10 minutes (check the package for recommended cook time). Drain and rinse well under cold water.
2. While the pasta cooks, in the bottom of a large bowl, make the dressing. Whisk the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, pepperoncini juice (if using), and the olive oil until blended. Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the dressing and mix well.
3. Stir in the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, pepperoncini (if using), olives, parmesan, mozzarella, and the herbs (if using). Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Serve or for the best results, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days.

The Best Easy Pasta Salad

Super easy pasta salad – with pasta, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, spicy salami, pepperoncini, olives, and easy Italian dressing. DANGEROUSLY GOOD.

Prep: 30min

Total: 30min

Yield: 10

Nutrition Facts: servingSize None, calories 398 calories, Sugar 2.8 g, Sodium 642.1 mg, Fat 30.4 g, Saturated Fat 6.7 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 25.8 g, Fiber 3.6 g, Protein 9.6 g, Cholesterol 19.4 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 pound uncooked pasta
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese balls, cut in half
• 1 lb. salami or summer sausage, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 3/4 cup pepperoncini (optional, but do it)
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white vinegar (white vinegar or red wine vinegar work)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1-2 tablespoons coarse sea salt (yes, tablespoons – see notes section!)
• 2 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons each dry oregano and dry basil
• black pepper to taste
• fresh herbs if you want! sometimes I add fresh parsley, basil, or chives.

Instruction:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, in salted water for more flavor. Allow to cool slightly and toss with a little oil to prevent sticking.
2. Blend up the dressing, or shake together in a jar.
3. Toss all ingredients together! I like to use about three-fourths of the dressing, and then I save the rest of the dressing to add to my leftovers.
4. Keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. I think it actually tastes best the day AFTER you make it.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

You’ll love this easy pasta salad recipe! It’s a great one to make ahead – if you’re bringing it to a picnic, prep it up to a day in advance.

Prep: 12min

Total: 22min

Ingredients:

• 3 cups uncooked fusilli pasta
• 2 heaping cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 2 cups arugula
• 1 cup Persian cucumbers (sliced into thin half moons)
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup basil leaves (torn)
• ½ cup minced parsley
• ½ cup chopped mint
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (more for drizzling)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt

Instruction:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package directions, or until slightly past al dente.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, and salt. (Note: the dressing will have a strong flavor, it’ll mellow once it coats all of the pasta salad ingredients).
3. Drain the pasta, toss it with a little olive oil (so that it doesn’t stick together) and let it cool to room temp. Transfer to a large bowl with the tomatoes, chickpeas, arugula, cucumbers, feta cheese, basil, parsley, mint, and pine nuts. Pour the dressing and toss to coat. Season to taste with more lemon, salt, pepper, and/or a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and serve.

Classic Pasta Salad

Classic pasta salad is made with a tri-color rotini, filled with vegetables and cheeses, and coated in a homemade vinaigrette. The perfect recipe to feed a crowd!

Prep: 25min

Total: 25min

Yield: 24

Serving Size: 0.75 cup

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 0.75 cup, calories 283 kcal, Carbohydrate 24 g, Protein 13 g, Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 32 mg, Sodium 732 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces tri-color rotini pasta (uncooked)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 12 ounces sliced pepperoni
• 1 red onion (diced)
• 1 green bell pepper (diced)
• 16 ounces mozzarella cheese (cubed)
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces olives (sliced)
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instruction:

1. In salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is room temperature. Place pasta in a large bowl.
2. Add cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, onion, bell pepper, mozzarella, parmesan, and olives to the bowl. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, add olive oil, vinegar, italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine.
4. Pour vinaigrette over pasta salad, then toss to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
5. If your pasta salad has been chilling for several hours/overnight and very cold, allow it to warm up slightly at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, then give it a toss to redistribute the dressing just before serving.

PASTA SALAD | with Italian salad dressing

FAQ

What are the five mistakes to avoid pasta salad?

1. Not using the right size and shape of pasta. …
2. Overcooking or undercooking the pasta. …
3. Not seasoning the pasta enough. …
4. Not dressing the pasta salad while it’s still warm. …
5. Making your pasta salad too far in advance.

Should you make pasta salad the night before?

How long does home made pasta salad last?

Is pasta salad healthy to eat?