Vegetarian Italian Pasta Salad (Print View)
Colorful Italian pasta toss with fresh veggies, mozzarella, and zesty vinaigrette. Perfect for gatherings.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 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 (or diced mozzarella)
→ 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 Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the short-cut pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to halt the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooked 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 dressing is fully emulsified and smooth.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Add the mozzarella pearls, chopped fresh basil, and chopped parsley. Toss gently but thoroughly until every component is evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together beautifully.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in a jar with a shake and tastes like something from a deli case that charges fourteen dollars a pint.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge for two days, which means lunch is handled when you cannot be bothered.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is nonnegotiable here because residual heat continues cooking it and you want distinct firm bites, not a gummy mess.
- The dressing tightens and the flavors sharpen after resting, so trust the process and do not judge the taste at minute zero.
03 -
- Make double the dressing and keep the extra in the fridge because the salad absorbs it greedily overnight and a fresh drizzle the next day brings it back to life.
- Dice all your vegetables to roughly the same size as the pasta so every forkful feels balanced instead of chaotic.