Vegetarian Italian Pasta Salad (Print Version)
Colorful Mediterranean pasta with fresh vegetables, olives, and mozzarella in a herb vinaigrette.
# 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 - ½ small red onion, finely sliced
07 - ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
08 - ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
09 - ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Cheese
10 - 5 oz mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
11 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan (optional)
→ Dressing
12 - ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
16 - ½ tsp dried oregano
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Steps:
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 well and rinse under cold running water to halt further cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and both bell peppers, finely slice the red onion, pit and halve the kalamata olives, and slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Tear the fresh basil leaves by hand. 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, and dried oregano. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is fully emulsified.
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, taking care not to break apart the mozzarella balls.
07 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
08 - Serve cold or at room temperature, garnished with additional torn basil leaves if desired. Pairs well with chilled Pinot Grigio or sparkling water with lemon.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in about half an hour and tastes even better after sitting in the fridge, so you can completely make it ahead without any stress.
- The Mediterranean flavors are bold enough to stand out at a buffet but familiar enough that even picky eaters come back for seconds.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the pasta under cold water, leftover heat will continue cooking it and turn your salad into a gummy, clumpy mess that no amount of dressing can fix.
- The dressing will taste slightly too sharp on its own, but once it coats the pasta and vegetables and sits for a bit, everything balances out perfectly, so trust the process.
03 -
- Make the dressing up to three days ahead and keep it in a jar in the fridge, then just shake and pour when you are ready, saving yourself last-minute scrambling.
- Salt your pasta water until it tastes like mild seawater, because this is your one real chance to season the pasta itself and it makes a bigger difference than any amount of dressing adjustment later.