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Italian Pasta Salad

Italian Pasta Salad
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Italian Pasta Salad is a fresh, vibrant, and delicious dish combining al dente pasta with crisp vegetables, creamy mozzarella, and a zesty Italian vinaigrette. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or quick meals, this salad delivers bold flavors and refreshing textures that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

  • 8 ounces rotini or penne pasta

Vegetables & Add-Ins

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 1/2 cup mini mozzarella balls, drained
  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

Dressing

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme blend)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook the Pasta: Boil your chosen pasta in salted water until al dente—firm but cooked through. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta for the salad.
  2. Prepare the Vegetables and Add-Ins: While the pasta cools, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, slice the red onion thinly, drain the mini mozzarella balls, roughly chop fresh basil, and pit and halve Kalamata olives if whole.
  3. Mix the Dressing: Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to create a bright, flavorful dressing.
  4. Combine All Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, vegetables, mozzarella, olives, and fresh basil. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to ensure every bit is coated with the tangy dressing.
  5. Chill and Serve: Cover the Italian Pasta Salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.

Notes

  • Don’t overcook the pasta; al dente texture ensures it won’t become mushy when mixed.
  • Toss the salad with dressing while the pasta is slightly warm to help absorption.
  • Use fresh basil and herbs for the best flavor.
  • Salt cucumbers lightly and drain excess water to keep the salad crisp, not soggy.
  • Chill the salad before serving to let flavors develop fully.

Nutrition

Keywords: Italian pasta salad, summer salad, picnic salad, easy pasta salad, vegetarian pasta salad

Find it online: https://tastebudtrek.com/italian-pasta-salad/