Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Printable Copy)

Colorful pasta tossed with fresh vegetables and zesty Italian dressing for summer gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as 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 fresh 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:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until tender but still firm. Drain through a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl or mason jar, combine extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously or cover and shake until emulsified.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta with halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, chopped red onion, sliced black olives, and mozzarella pearls.
04 - Pour prepared Italian dressing over pasta mixture. Using two forks or salad servers, toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Add chopped parsley and basil to the dressed salad. Toss gently to distribute herbs throughout.
06 - Transfer salad to refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes. This allows flavors to meld and pasta to fully absorb the dressing.
07 - Remove from refrigerator, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed. Serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under thirty minutes if you count chilling time, so last-minute picnics are actually doable.
  • The dressing hits that balance between tangy and smooth without any of those bottled salad dressing aftertastes.
  • Everyone eats seconds, whether they think they like Italian food or not.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice bath for the pasta or you'll end up with a warm mush no amount of chilling can fix.
  • If you're making this more than four hours ahead, hold off on adding the tomatoes until an hour before serving because their juice will eventually make everything soggy.
03 -
  • Make the dressing the night before and let the garlic infuse overnight for deeper flavor that tastes less sharp and more integrated.
  • If your guests include people who don't eat certain ingredients, set aside a portion of plain dressed pasta before adding everything else—that way no one feels left out.
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