Vegetarian Italian Pasta Salad (Print Version)
Colorful pasta toss with fresh vegetables, mozzarella, and zesty Italian herb dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10.5 ounces short-cut pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup bell pepper (red or yellow), diced
06 - 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
07 - 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
08 - 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
→ Cheese
09 - 3.5 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
→ Herbs
10 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
12 - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
18 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
19 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
# Directions:
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 in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to halt further cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, diced bell pepper, sliced black olives, quartered artichoke hearts, and sliced sun-dried tomatoes.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until the mixture is smooth and well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Add the mozzarella pearls, chopped basil, and chopped parsley. Toss everything together gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The homemade dressing clings to every noodle and tastes so much brighter than anything from a bottle.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge, making it ideal for meal prep or bringing to a gathering the next day.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here because residual heat will overcook it and turn your salad gummy.
- The dressing intensifies overnight, so if you are making it ahead, consider holding back a quarter of it and tossing it in fresh before serving.
03 -
- Salt your pasta water until it tastes like mild seawater because that is your only chance to season the noodles themselves.
- Letting the finished salad sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes before eating takes the chill off and lets the flavors open up dramatically.