Italian Vegetarian Pasta Salad (Printable)
Colorful pasta tossed with fresh vegetables, mozzarella, and a zesty Italian vinaigrette dressing.
# 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 red or yellow bell pepper, 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 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
12 - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
18 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
19 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# 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 through a colander and rinse under cold running water to halt further cooking. Set aside to drain completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, diced bell pepper, sliced black olives, quartered artichoke hearts, and sliced sun-dried tomatoes.
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 fully emulsified and smooth.
04 - Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Add the mozzarella pearls, chopped basil, and parsley. Toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing doubles as a marinade for grilled vegetables, so you will want to make extra and keep it in your fridge all summer long.
- It tastes even better the next day, which makes it the rare dish that rewards patience rather than punishing it.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the pasta under cold water, warm pasta will melt the mozzarella into sad little puddles and nobody wants that.
- Letting the salad rest in the fridge overnight transforms it completely, the dressing seeps into every fold and the vegetables soften just slightly into something greater than the sum of their parts.
03 -
- Dress the salad while the pasta is still slightly warm so it absorbs the flavors like a sponge rather than letting the oil slide off cold surfaces.
- Keep a few extra basil leaves and a lemon wedge for garnish right before serving, that final touch of freshness makes people think you did something fancy when you really just reached into the fridge.