Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Printer-friendly)

A vibrant pasta salad tossed with fresh veggies and zesty Italian dressing for light summer meals.

# What You'll 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 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 Steps:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and mozzarella.
04 - Pour dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Add chopped parsley and basil to the salad. Toss gently to incorporate.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and develop.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before serving. Serve chilled.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can actually enjoy your afternoon instead of being glued to the stove.
  • The flavors get better as it sits, so you can make it hours ahead and let the dressing do the heavy lifting.
  • Everyone eats it, whether they're vegetarian, meat lovers, or just hungry, because it's that unoffensive kind of delicious.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cold water rinse on the pasta or the starch will make everything stick together into one sad clump that nobody wants to eat.
  • The dressing needs that Dijon mustard or it'll separate into an oily, vinegary mess every time someone stirs it, which is annoying and makes it look neglected.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in a jar with a tight lid and you can shake it right before serving if you're worried about separation, plus you can make it hours ahead without any stress.
  • Taste the salad 10 minutes before you're serving it so you have time to adjust the seasoning instead of watching people eat something that's just a tiny bit flat.
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