Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Colorful pasta with fresh vegetables and a zesty Italian dressing, ideal for summer and outdoor meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (rotini, fusilli, or penne)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced

→ Cheese

08 - 3/4 cup mozzarella pearls or diced mozzarella

→ Herbs

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

→ Italian Dressing

11 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red and yellow bell peppers, chopped red onion, sliced black olives, and mozzarella pearls.
04 - Pour the prepared Italian dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and basil over the salad. Toss gently to distribute herbs throughout.
06 - Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and salad to chill thoroughly.
07 - Remove salad from refrigerator. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and vinegar to desired preference before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in about 25 minutes, which means you can actually enjoy your day instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
  • The flavors get better as it sits, so you can make it hours ahead and let the dressing do the work for you.
  • Everyone eats it, from kids who pick out their favorite vegetables to people who never touch salad at potlucks.
02 -
  • If you skip the cold water rinse on your pasta, the residual heat will wilt your fresh vegetables before the salad even gets made; I learned this the hard way with a sad, warm batch.
  • The dressing needs those 30 minutes in the refrigerator because the cold actually opens up the flavors and lets the vegetables soften just enough to absorb the vinaigrette without getting mushy.
03 -
  • Don't add the herbs until the last minute, or they'll bruise and turn dark; a gentle chop by hand keeps them looking fresh and tasting bright.
  • If your salad seems to dry out by the next day, just drizzle a little more olive oil and vinegar mixed together, and toss it again to revive it instantly.
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