Italian Vegetarian Pasta Salad (Print version)
Colorful Italian pasta salad with fresh veggies, mozzarella, and herb dressing in just 30 minutes.
# 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 mozzarella balls (bocconcini), 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
# 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 in a colander and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - While the pasta cools, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and both bell peppers, thinly slice the red onion, pit and halve the kalamata olives, slice the sun-dried tomatoes, and tear the fresh basil leaves. Combine all prepared vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the 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 pepper until the mixture is fully emulsified and slightly thickened.
05 - Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly, ensuring every component is evenly coated.
06 - Gently fold in the halved bocconcini and grated Parmesan, if using, taking care not to crush the mozzarella balls.
07 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
08 - Serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with additional torn basil leaves if desired.
# Expert suggestions:
01 -
- The dressing doubles as a marinade, so you can repurpose leftovers on grilled vegetables the next day.
- It tastes even better after sitting in the fridge, which makes it the ultimate make-ahead dish for busy weeks.
02 -
- Do not skip the cold rinse on the pasta or the residual heat will wilt your vegetables into a sad, warm mess.
- Make the dressing in a jar with a tight lid and shake vigorously for a perfectly emulsified result every single time.
03 -
- Salt your pasta water until it tastes like mild seawater because this is your only chance to season the pasta itself from the inside out.
- Let the dressed salad sit out at room temperature for ten minutes before serving because cold mutes flavor and you want every note to shine.