A fresh and vibrant Italian pasta salad made with wholegrain pasta, juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella. This nutritious and full flavoured pasta salad is perfect for dishing out at lunches or parties and is great as an on the go snack or working lunch. Make this Italian Pasta salad recipe in just 15 minutes and enjoy topped with fresh basil and a homemade Italian dressing.
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👩🏻🍳 Why make this recipe
Italian Pasta salad is one of those recipes that literally has everything going for it. Its easy to make, easy to store, great for meal prep and really useful for using up any leftovers.
The best thing about pasta salad is the variety of ingredients that can be used; from different types of pasta to numerous different fruits, vegetable and cheeses. Also, as its a cold dish, its easy to store in the fridge keeping everything lovely and fresh and crisp.
🥘 Ingredients
To make a large bowl of Italian pasta salad at home you will need:
Ingredient notes
Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.
Pasta: This recipe uses wholegrain fusilli, but any type of small pasta will work well.
Tomatoes: Use fresh, vine ripened tomatoes. For an extra vibrant salad look for different colours of tomatoes (heritage/heirloom).
Mozzarella: A soft Italian cheese is essential for making this Italian pasta salad. Use small pearls of mozzarella or alternatively tear up a larger ball. Burrata is also a great option. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.
Pecorino cheese: This is optional and can also be substituted with parmesan. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.
Fresh basil and parsley: Fresh herbs are just the best taste in salads and I highly recommend using fresh basil at the very least. Especially in this Italian salad as it pairs perfectly with the tomatoes and mozzarella
Cannellini Beans: Beans are an optional extra and are used here to bulk out the salad and boost the protein content without adding meat.
🔪 Step by step instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes until al dente (or according to packet instructions). Place the cooked pasta and pasta salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss together well.
- In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard, juice of half a lemon and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix in.
- Top with freshly grated pecorino and basil leaves.
💭 Expert tips
- For extra colour use green, red and yellow tomatoes. Heritage or heirloom tomatoes are usually the best option.
- Make sure the cooked pasta is fully cooled before adding to the salad. To do this, drain into a sieve then rinse in cold water 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.
- If you are cooking pasta for a warm dish, then it is not necessary to rinse the pasta. Instead add straight to the sauce like in this salmon pasta recipe or this salmon and prawn linguine.
- To boost the protein content of this salad, without adding meat, add in a tin of drained cannellini beans.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Pasta salad will last 3 to 4 days if covered with a sealable lid or cling film and kept in the fridge. This recipe a great option for meal prep and will easily provide meals for 3 or 4 days.
To ensure the pasta doesn't stick 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.
Yes pasta salad can be made up to 3 days in advance then covered and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.
🥗 Other delicious salad recipes
- Vietnamese Style Beef salad
- Roasted Cauliflower Salad
- Mango Avocado Salad
- Chicken Satay and Quinoa Salad
- Chicken Fajita Salad
If you try this recipe you can let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my email list, too!
📖 Recipe
Italian Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Large pan to cook pasta
- Large mixing bowl for the pasta salad
- Small bowl to make the dressing
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
- Half tin of cannellini beans optional
For the Italian Dressing
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or any alternative cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- 1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard
- ½ a lemon juiced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Toppings
- 25 g Freshly grated pecorino cheese or alternative hard cheese
- Extra basil leaves
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes until al dente (or according to packet instructions). Place the cooked pasta and pasta salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss together well.250 g Wholewheat fusilli pasta dried, 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, Half tin of cannellini beans
- In a small bowl mix together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, wholegrain mustard, lemon juice and Italian seasoning.2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Honey, 1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard, ½ a lemon juiced, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix in.
- Top with freshly grated pecorino and basil leaves.25 g Freshly grated pecorino cheese, Extra basil leaves
Video
Nutrition
Notes
- For extra colour use green, red, orange and yellow tomatoes. Heritage or heirloom tomatoes are usually the best option.
- Make sure the cooked pasta is fully cooled before adding to the salad. To do this, drain into a sieve then rinse in cold water 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.
- If you are cooking pasta for a warm dish, then it is not necessary to rinse the pasta. Instead add straight to the sauce like in this salmon pasta recipe or this salmon and prawn linguine.
This post was first published in Aug 2019. Updated in Sept 2021 with an improved photos, and new step by step instructions and expert tips.
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