Italian Vegetarian Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Colorful Mediterranean pasta toss with fresh vegetables, mozzarella, and herb vinaigrette in just 30 minutes.
# 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 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
08 - 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
09 - 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Cheese
10 - 5 oz bocconcini (fresh mozzarella balls), halved
11 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan (optional)
→ Dressing
12 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Step-by-Step:
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 thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to halt further cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red and yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced red onion, halved kalamata olives, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, and torn basil leaves.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the prepared 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. Continue whisking until the dressing is fully emulsified.
05 - Pour the prepared 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 before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
08 - Serve cold or at room temperature. Garnish with additional fresh basil leaves if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing doubles as a marinade so you can drizzle it over grilled vegetables the next day and nothing goes to waste.
- Every ingredient is flexible which means you can empty the crisper drawer into this bowl and call it intentional.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the pasta because residual heat continues cooking it and you will end up with a gummy texture that no dressing can fix.
- Toss the salad again right before serving because the dressing settles to the bottom and the top layer tastes bland if you forget.
03 -
- Salt your pasta water until it tastes like the sea because that is the only chance you get to season the noodles from the inside out.
- Make the dressing first and let it sit while you prep everything else so the dried oregano has time to hydrate and release its flavor.