Description
Zesty Italian pasta salad is a vibrant and refreshing side dish made with pasta, crisp vegetables, tangy Italian dressing, and savory mix-ins like olives and cheese. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or meal prep, it’s bursting with flavor and easy to customize.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz rotini or penne pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives or green olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup mozzarella balls or cubed cheese
- 1/4 cup pepperoni or salami slices (optional)
- 3/4 cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olives, cheese, and meat (if using).
- Pour Italian dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
- Season with salt and pepper, and stir in chopped herbs.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let flavors blend.
- Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Use tri-color pasta for extra visual appeal.
- Great made a day ahead—just refresh with a splash of dressing before serving.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the meat and add chickpeas for protein.
- Homemade dressing can be made with olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic, and mustard.
- Add artichoke hearts, banana peppers, or roasted red peppers for more variety.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook (except pasta)
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 15mg