Italian Pasta Salad (Printable Format)
Chilled Italian pasta with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, olives and tangy red wine vinaigrette—great for summer.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 9 oz short pasta such as 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 & Protein
07 - 3.5 oz bocconcini (fresh mozzarella balls), 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 basil)
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
15 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside to drain thoroughly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, sliced black olives, and halved bocconcini. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, chopped basil, dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly until every ingredient 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 Suggestions:
01 -
- The dressing doubles as a marinade for grilled vegetables, so you can stretch it into two completely different meals.
- Everything tastes even better after sitting in the fridge overnight, which makes it the most stress free dish for entertaining.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here because residual heat continues cooking it and turns your salad into a sticky, soft mess.
- Dress the salad at least an hour ahead if you can, because the pasta absorbs the vinaigrette and transforms from bland to vibrant as it rests.
03 -
- Salt your pasta cooking water until it tastes like mild seawater because that is the only chance you have to season the pasta from the inside out.
- Make double the dressing and keep half in the fridge to drizzle over grilled vegetables or crusty bread later in the week.