Italian Pasta salad is a fresh and vibrant summer salad with nutritious wholegrain pasta and a delicious Italian dressing. This classic pasta salad recipe is easy, healthy and packed full with Italian ingredients and flavour.
Italian pasta salad recipe
Pasta salad is one of those recipes that literally has everything going for it. Its easy to make, easy to store, can be made ahead of time, great for meal prep and really useful for using up any leftovers. Cold pasta salad is also surprisingly comforting, its no mash and gravy, but its perfect for a summers evening when something refreshing but filling is needed.
I do love a salad with a difference – it helps keep healthy eating interesting and given the chance I will always replace my lettuce leaves with something more flavourful. I particularly love Vietnamese style beef salad, roasted cauliflower salad, mango and avocado salad, and giant wild rice salad. Nom.
The best thing about a pasta salad is the long list of ingredients that can be used; from different types of pasta to a variety of fruits, vegetable and cheeses. And as this is a dish best served cold, everything stays lovely and fresh and crisp.
Ingredients for Italian pasta salad
A classic Italian pasta salad recipe of course has to include tomatoes, mozzarella and basil – its just the rules. But theres plenty of other ingredients that can be thrown in and go quite nicely with those traditional Italian flavours:
- Wholegrain fusilli pasta (or alternative choice of small pasta such as shells, bow ties, macaroni or penne)
- Tomatoes (colourful heritage if you can get hold of them)
- Cucumber
- Red bell pepper
- Black olives
- Mozzarella pearls
- Lemon zest
- Grated pecorino cheese (or alternative choice of grated hard cheese)
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- Handful of fresh parsley
- Optional extra: cannellini beans to boost the protein content.
Ingredients for the Italian dressing
The Italian dressing in this cold pasta salad recipe is just as important, if not more so, than any of the other salad ingredients. Every salad and pasta salad deserves a good dressing. This Italian dressing is mixed together in just a few seconds and requires just 6 basic ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey
- Wholegrain mustard
- Lemon juice
- Dried Italian seasoning.
How to make Italian pasta salad (step-by-step)
- Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes until al dente (or according to packet instructions).
- Place the pasta and pasta salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix together well.
- To make the dressing: in a small bowl mix together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard, juice of half a lemon and 1 tsp Italian seasoning.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix in.
- Top with freshly grated pecorino and basil leaves.
How do you cool pasta down for pasta salad?
Once the pasta is cooked it must be fully cooled, to do this, drain the pasta into a sieve and then rinse under the cold water tap until the pasta is cold to the touch. There are 2 reasons for doing this. Firstly, to stop the cooking process and ensure the pasta doesn’t go soggy. Secondly, to make sure that the rest of the ingredients stay crisp and fresh and don’t become warm and soft from the residual heat in the pasta.
If you are cooking pasta for a warm dish, then it is not necessary to rinse the pasta. Instead add straight to the sauce.
How do you keep pasta from sticking together?
To ensure the pasta doesn’t still together make sure the cooking water is boiling and stir the pasta well as soon as its placed into the water. After cooking rinse under cold water. If you aren’t using the pasta right away it may eventually start to stick together. All you need to do is rinse the pasta under cold water again and toss until the pieces separate.
What goes with this recipe?
Pasta salad is a great meal all on its own. However, if this recipe is for a party or social gathering then there are a few other things you can have on the table alongside this fabulous pasta recipe:
- Foil pack potatoes
- Beetroot hummus
- Stuffed peppers
- Simple guacamole recipe
- Mash filo parcels
- Italian tigella
- Sticky honey glazed prawns
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes pasta salad can be made well in advance then covered and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.
How to store this recipe
Pasta salad will last 3 to 4 days if covered properly and kept in the fridge. This recipe a great option for meal prep and will easily provide meals for 3 or 4 days.
Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the pasta salad
- 250 g Wholewheat fusilli pasta dried, uncooked
- 500 g heritage and/or baby tomatoes roughly chopped
- 100 g cucumber chopped into small cubes
- 80 g Red bell pepper chopped into small cubes
- 60 g Black olives halved
- 100 g Mozzarella pearls or large ball torn up
- Handful of basil leaves roughly torn
- Handful of fresh parsley finely chopped
For the Italian dressing
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp of apple cider or any alternative cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Wholegrain mustard
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
For the topping
- 10 g Freshly grated pecorino cheese or alternative hard cheese
- Extra basil leaves
Instructions
To make the pasta salad
- Start by filling a pan half way with water. Bring the water to a gentle rolling boil then carefully add the pasta. Stir the pasta well after adding to the water. This prevents the pasta sticking together and from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook for around 10 minutes until al dente. If using wholegrain pasta, this usually takes 2 or 3 minutes longer to cook than white pasta.
- Once cooked, drain the pasta into a sieve and then rinse under the scold water tap to stop the cooking process. Pasta should be completely cold to the touch.
- Add the cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, mozzarella, torn basil leaves and chopped parsley. Carefully mix everything together.
To make the dressing
- In a small bowl mix together the oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, wholegrain mustard, juice from half a lemon and 1 tsp of Italian seasoning. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix in to fully coat all the ingredients.
To serve
- Top with freshly grated pecorino and basil leaves
Video
Nutrition
Notes
Protein
To boost the protein content of this salad add in a tin of drained cannellini beans.How do you cool pasta down for pasta salad?
Once the pasta is cooked it must be fully cooled, to do this drain the pasta into a sieve and then rinse under the cold water tap until the pasta is cold to the touch. There are 2 reasons for doing this. Firstly, to stop the cooking process and ensure the pasta doesn't go soggy. Secondly, to make sure that the rest of the ingredients stay crisp and fresh and don't become warm and soft from the residual heat in the pasta. If you are cooking pasta for a warm dish, then it is not necessary to rinse the pasta. Instead add straight to the sauce.How do you keep pasta from sticking together?
To ensure the pasta doesn't still together make sure the cooking water is boiling and stir the pasta well as soon as its placed into the water. After cooking rinse under cold water. If you aren't using the pasta right away it may eventually start to stick together. All you need to do is rinse the pasta under cold water again and toss until the pieces separate.Can I make pasta salad ahead of time?
Yes pasta salad can be made well in advance then covered and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.How long does pasta salad last?
Pasta salad will last 3 to 4 days if covered properly and kept in the fridge. This recipe a great option for meal prep and will easily provide meals for 3 or 4 days.PIN FOR LATER
