A refreshing and colorful pasta salad tossed with zesty Italian dressing, fresh vegetables, and savory additions—perfect for picnics, potlucks, or an easy lunch.
Author:Beth
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Total Time:25 minutes
Yield:6 servings 1x
Category:Salad
Method:No-Cook
Cuisine:Italian-American
Diet:Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
12 oz rotini or bowtie pasta
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup mozzarella balls or cubed cheese
1/2 cup Italian salami or pepperoni, chopped (optional)
3/4 cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, red onion, mozzarella, and salami if using.
Pour Italian dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped herbs.
Notes
Use tri-color pasta for extra visual appeal.
For a vegetarian version, omit the meat or add chickpeas for protein.
Tastes even better the next day after flavors meld.