Pasta Salad Recipe

A ceramic dish of pasta salad with a serving spoon on a linen alongside.

This easy and customizable Pasta Salad recipe is the perfect make-ahead side for all your summer gatherings! Pack it full of your favorite veggies, pickles, and cheese.

Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings to 12 servings

Calories 435kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Large Pot
Colander
Pint-sized mason jar

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

1 cup olive oil (240mL)
⅓ cup red wine vinegar (80mL)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (60mL)
2 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1½ teaspoons salt plus more to taste
¾ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste

For the Pasta Salad:

1 pound rotini pasta or another small shape, (450g)
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved (225g)
1 medium cucumber quartered and sliced, (170g)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (20g)
4 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls or balls (225g)
½ cup sliced olives (80g)
¼ cup fresh parsley or basil chopped
¼ cup sliced pepperocinis (40g)

Instructions

For the Dressing:

Add the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper to a large jar. Shake well and set aside.

For the Pasta Salad:

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Season generously with salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until very tender. Drain, then rinse the pasta under cold water until room temperature. Transfer to a large bowl.
Shake the dressing once more than pour half over the pasta. Mix to combine. Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella, Parmesan, olives, parsley and/or basil, and pepperoncini and mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve, or at least 1 hour.
Just before serving, dress the pasta salad with as much of the remaining dressing as you like, and season with more salt, pepper, lemon juice and fresh herbs to taste.

Notes

You can make the dressing and hold it in the fridge for up to a week before making the pasta salad. This is a great way to prepare a bit in advance if you're planning for a big gathering and making other dishes.

Nutrition