Description
This Classic Pasta Salad Recipe is a refreshing summer favorite loaded with tender pasta, crisp vegetables, cheese, and a zesty homemade Italian dressing. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for BBQs, picnics, potlucks, and family gatherings, coming together in just a few simple steps.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup mozzarella pearls or cubed mozzarella
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For the Italian Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let cool completely.
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Combine the ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, mozzarella, red onion, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
- Toss the salad: Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and gently toss until every ingredient is evenly coated.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Toss once more and garnish with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
For the best flavor, prepare the pasta salad a few hours ahead of serving. If making it the day before, reserve a little extra dressing to refresh the salad before serving since the pasta absorbs the dressing as it chills.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 410mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: classic pasta salad recipe, easy pasta salad, summer pasta salad, italian pasta salad, picnic side dish, potluck recipe