A really easy Italian Pasta Salad recipe. Totally loaded with mouthwatering flavours, there’s only 10 minutes of cooking needed to throw this meal together, making it perfect for eating on hot days or making ahead and keeping in the fridge.
Oh you’re going to want to make this over and over again this summer. It’s so super easy and so absolutely delicious.
Great for those hot days when you don’t want to be sweating away in the kitchen. Our cold Italian pasta salad is perfect – filling yet healthy and light. You can eat it just as it is – load it into your bowl and tuck in.
Or… make it as a side dish for grilled chicken, fish or BBQ food. And it’s always super welcome at potlucks and parties.
Easy Italian Pasta Salad Ingredients
Our pasta salad with Italian dressing is just loaded with tasty Italian ingredients and all combined together they tasty so good!
For the cold Italian pasta salad
- 300g fusilli pasta – feel free to swap this for rigatoni, penne or farfalle
- 200g baby plum tomatoes – cut into halves
- 250g mini mozzarella balls
- 100g salami – snipped into slices
- 100g chargrilled peppers – I use the jars of antipasti peppers and snip them into slices using kitchen scissors
- 50g pitted black olives – halved
- Handful of basil leaves – roughly torn to serve
For the Italian pasta salad dressing
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs white wine vinegar
- 1 heaped tsp Italian seasoning
- pinch sea salt
- pinch ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dijion mustard
- 1 tsp runny honey
Cooks Tip! You can use shop bought Italian salad dressing for this pasta salad – just choose your favourite.
Equipment Needed To Make This Recipe
- Large saucepan
- Colander
- Chopping board
- Sharp vegetable knife
- Kitchen scissors
- Large mixing bowl
- Teaspoon
- Tablespoon
- Fork
- Small bowl
- Serving bowl
Get loads more delicious easy pasta dishes here
How To Make Easy Italian Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta – as per the packet instructions, once it’s cooked tip it into a colander and rinse under cold running water to cool it down quickly ready to make the salad.
- Prepare the pasta salad – take a large mixing bowl and put in the cold pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella balls, salami, peppers and olives.
- Make the Italian salad dressing – take a small bowl and whisk together the salad dressing ingredients using a fork.
- Pour the salad dressing over the pasta salad
- Toss the pasta salad together – do this gently but make sure you coat everything in dressing.
- Scatter over the fresh basil
- Tip the Italian pasta salad into your serving bowl– let everyone help themselves.
And… I can’t not mention the salad bowl… We saw it on Nigella and just *HAD* to have it! It’s the Belle Perle Glass Salad Bowl you can order them from Dibor at just £26 we think they’re just totally lovely!
This recipe is part of our collection of easy pasta salad recipes. Check it out!
Make Pasta Salad Your Way
- Switch the salami for pepperoni, chorizo or chopped ham.
- Add in some Parmesan shavings.
- Play around with the veggies, try grilled courgette slices, cucumber, chopped avocado or sautéed mushrooms.
- Make creamy Italian pasta salad instead and opt for a creamy dressing instead of adding the homemade Italian dressing, or save time and buy a salad dressing you fancy.
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What Do You Eat With Pasta Salad
Well our Italian pasta salad is really substantial so you could serve it as a complete meal. Or you could serve it as a side dish alongside…
- Grilled or roast chicken
- Roast ham
- Grilled fish
- Serve alongside BBQ food or at summer picnics.
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More Easy Pasta Recipes To Try
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad – a delicious quick pasta salad with chicken and peas in a fresh and zingy creamy dressing.
- BLT Pasta Salad – all the flavours of your favourite BLT sandwich but in a tasty pasta salad.
- Ranch Pasta Salad – totally loaded with shredded ham and salad vegetables all tossed together in a delicious ranch sauce.
Get more quick and easy meals here
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If you love mozzarella salad then try out our delicious Tricolore Salad recipe here!
Easy Italian Pasta Salad
Super easy, super delicious Italian pasta salad that's bursting with flavour!
Ingredients
For the pasta salad
- 300g fusilli pasta
- 200g baby plum tomatoes - cut into halves
- 250g mini mozzarella balls
- 100g salami - snipped into slices
- 100g chargrilled peppers - sliced
- 50g pitted olives - halved
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
For the dressing
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- pinch salt
- pinch ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dijion mustard
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions
- Cook the pasta – as per the packet instructions, once it’s cooked tip it into a colander and rinse under cold running water to cool it down quickly ready to make the salad.
- Prepare the pasta salad – take a large mixing bowl and put in the cold pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella balls, salami, peppers and olives.
- Make the Italian salad dressing – take a small bowl and whisk together the salad dressing ingredients using a fork.
- Pour the salad dressing over the pasta salad and toss everything together.
- Tip the pasta salad into a serving bowl and serve
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 550Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 975mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 27g
Nutritional content will vary depending on the exact ingredients you use and how careful you are with measuring - this nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate - you should always calculate your own nutritional information especially if you have specific dietary requirements.
Yes – totally, cook it, cool it quickly by tipping it into a colander and tossing it under cold running water. Then add a tablespoon of olive oil, toss well to coat all the pasta pieces and then store in an air tight container in the fridge – use within 24 Horus.
If you’re making a cold pasta salad then yes, rinse the pasta after cooking so that you can cool it quickly. If you’re making a warm pasta salad then you don’t need to rinse – the starch will actually help the dressing to stick better.
Our pasta salad is good in the fridge for 24 hours – but it’s usually all eaten way before then!
Cold pasta salad is great for filling lunchboxes next day.
Try our salad box recipe here and create your own salad bar!
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