Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Fresh pasta salad with crisp vegetables and zesty dressing, ideal for warm-weather meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as rotini, fusilli, or penne

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced

→ Cheese

08 - 3/4 cup mozzarella pearls or diced mozzarella

→ Herbs

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

→ Italian Dressing

11 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until fully incorporated.
03 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and mozzarella.
04 - Pour prepared dressing over pasta mixture and toss thoroughly until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Add chopped parsley and basil to the salad and toss gently to combine.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and develop.
07 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or vinegar as desired before serving.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, leaving you free to actually enjoy your picnic instead of sweating in the kitchen.
  • The flavor actually improves as it sits, so you can make it the night before and one less thing to think about the morning of.
  • It's endlessly flexible, swapping out vegetables based on what looks good at the market or what you happen to have.
02 -
  • If you dress the pasta while it's hot or even warm, the oil will slide right off and the flavors won't stick the way they should, so patience with the cooling step is everything.
  • This salad actually tastes better the next day after everything has had time to sit together in the cold, so make it ahead if you can and you'll taste the difference.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in a jar with a tight lid so you can shake it together at the last moment if it separates, and use that same jar to store leftovers so there's less cleanup.
  • Taste the salad the day before and you might find it needs just a touch more salt or vinegar, which is how you learn what your palate prefers.
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