Italian Vegetarian Pasta Salad (Printable)
A colorful Italian pasta toss with fresh veggies, mozzarella, and tangy vinaigrette dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10.5 oz short-cut pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup bell pepper (red or yellow), diced
06 - 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
07 - 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
08 - 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
→ Cheese
09 - 3.5 oz fresh mozzarella pearls
→ Herbs
10 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
11 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
12 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
15 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - 1 tsp dried oregano
18 - 1/2 tsp salt
19 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse immediately under cold running water to halt further cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, diced bell pepper, sliced black olives, quartered artichoke hearts, and sliced sun-dried tomatoes until evenly distributed.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until the mixture is smooth and fully emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Add the mozzarella pearls, chopped basil, and chopped parsley. Toss everything thoroughly to ensure the dressing coats every ingredient evenly.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The homemade dressing pulls every single ingredient together without overpowering any of them, which is something bottled dressings never quite manage.
- It actually tastes better the next day, making it the most low stress dish to bring to any gathering.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here because residual heat will continue cooking it and turn your salad mushy.
- The dressing needs that thirty minute chill time to truly soak into the pasta, so patience is the real secret ingredient.
03 -
- Salt your pasta water until it tastes like the sea because that is your one and only chance to season the pasta itself.
- Make the dressing a day ahead and let it sit in the fridge so the garlic and oregano have time to fully bloom.