Italian Vegetarian Pasta Salad (Print View)
Colorful Italian pasta toss with fresh Mediterranean vegetables, mozzarella, and herb vinaigrette.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 small cucumber, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
08 - 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
09 - 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Cheese
10 - 5 oz bocconcini (fresh mozzarella balls), halved
11 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan (optional)
→ Dressing
12 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
16 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Method:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the short pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to halt further cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - Combine the halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red and yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced red onion, halved kalamata olives, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, and torn fresh basil leaves in a large mixing bowl.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the prepared vegetables and toss gently to distribute evenly.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until the mixture is fully emulsified and creamy in appearance.
05 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly, ensuring every component is evenly coated with the vinaigrette.
06 - Gently fold in the halved bocconcini and grated Parmesan, if using, taking care not to break apart the delicate mozzarella balls.
07 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and develop.
08 - Serve cold or at room temperature. Garnish with additional fresh basil leaves before presenting.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in half an hour and actually tastes better the longer it sits, which means zero last minute stress before guests arrive.
- The Mediterranean combination of briny olives, sweet peppers, and creamy mozzarella makes people think you spent far more effort than you did.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is essential here because residual heat will continue cooking it and turn your salad gummy.
- The dressing benefits enormously from resting, so if you have time, whisk it first and let it sit while you chop everything else.
03 -
- Dice all your vegetables to roughly the same size as the pasta so every forkful delivers a balanced mix instead of one dominant ingredient.
- Make the dressing in a jar with a tight lid so you can shake it to re emulsify whenever you need to.