Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Printable)

Colorful pasta with crisp vegetables and zesty Italian dressing perfect for summer gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, combine extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until fully emulsified.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, add cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red and yellow bell peppers, chopped red onion, sliced black olives, and mozzarella. Mix gently to combine.
04 - Pour prepared dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Scatter chopped fresh parsley and basil over the salad. Toss gently to distribute herbs throughout.
06 - Transfer salad to refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and develop.
07 - Taste salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that actually tastes better when you make it ahead, so you can relax instead of fussing in the kitchen.
  • Fresh, bright flavors that feel summery without any heavy cream or complicated techniques.
  • Feeds a crowd without breaking a sweat, and it works whether someone's vegetarian or not.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cold-water rinse on hot pasta or you'll end up with a mushy, clumpy mess instead of defined, separate pieces.
  • Add the mozzarella only when you're ready to eat it because fresh cheese gets tired and starts releasing water if it sits too long in dressing.
03 -
  • Make your dressing in a jar the night before and refrigerate it so the garlic has time to infuse and the flavors marry together before they even touch your pasta.
  • If your salad seems dry when you're ready to serve, whisk together a little more olive oil and vinegar in the same ratio and drizzle it over the top rather than starting from scratch, which keeps the balance intact.
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