\nWe basically always have a large bowl of this easy pasta salad in the fridge! Loaded with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh herbs, and Italian dressing, it\u2019s the perfect summer side dish. Make it as is, or bulk it up with grilled chicken, shrimp, or extra veggies like chopped bell pepper, cucumbers, or zucchini.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pasta salad is a quintessential summer recipe. Served cold and loaded with fresh ingredients, it\u2019s the best side dish for picnics, cookouts, and 4th of July celebrations. Whenever I bring this to a bbq or potluck, it\u2019 the first dish that people snap up. And I always leave with requests for the recipe.\u00a0
\nSo what makes this easy pasta salad so darn good? A combination of perfectly cooked pasta, homemade Italian dressing, juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, and mozzarella cheese. Colorful, fresh, and bursting with flavor in every bite, this summer classic is absolutely irresistible.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This Easy Pasta Salad Recipe is the Best Summer Side Dish:<\/p>\n
The pasta salad dressing is 100% homemade, but oh-so-easy.\u00a0
\nReady in less than 30 minutes!
\nThe perfect combination of ingredients\u2026 so much texture and flavor in each bite.\u00a0
\nEasily customize this salad to your needs; add more veggies, grilled protein, or switch up the cheese.\u00a0
\nNo fancy chef skills needed. If you can boil pasta and chop salad ingredients, you can make this pasta salad.\u00a0
\nA total showstopper! This summer salad is visually stunning and always stop people in their tracks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pasta Salad Ingredients\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pasta:\u00a0I have a strong preference towards farfalle, but that doesn\u2019t mean you have to use it! Feel free to use elbow noodles, mini shells, or fusilli instead. I find noodles with crevices work best in pasta salad. They help catch all that yummy salad dressing!
\nCherry tomatoes:\u00a0In-season tomatoes will work best because they\u2019re naturally sweet and juicy. But if you can\u2019t find ripe cherry tomatoes, any variety could work here. I\u2019ve even used sun-dried tomatoes in the winter.\u00a0
\nRed Onion:\u00a0Thinly sliced, it gives this salad a nice kick of flavor and a pop of color. I don\u2019t suggest substituting white onion or green onions.\u00a0
\nMozzarella Cheese:\u00a0I love mini mozzarella\u00a0balls and feel they really make this salad. But you can sub goat\u2019s cheese or feta if desired. And non-marinated mozzarella balls or mozzarella chunks are also some other options. If you really love cheese, add a little grated Parmesan cheese to the salad, too.<\/p>\n
Italian Dressing: Pasta Salad Dressing Ingredients<\/p>\n
Basil:\u00a0This recipe is not the place to substitute dried basil. The fresh herbs are a must and add a ton of flavor and give the Italian salad dressing a gorgeous green hue.\u00a0
\nGarlic:\u00a0Be sure to use FRESH garlic and not just garlic powder.
\nOlive Oil:\u00a0Use whatever you have on hand, but don\u2019t sub canola oil or vegetable oil.\u00a0
\nLemon Juice:\u00a0I know I sound like a broken record, but again, fresh is essential here. Don\u2019t sub bottle lemon juice.\u00a0
\nVinegar:\u00a0In a pinch, you can use white wine vinegar instead of red wine vinegar.\u00a0
\nGranulated Sugar:\u00a0Balances the acidity in the salad dressing without making it sweet.\u00a0
\nSalt and Pepper:\u00a0I like to use crushed red pepper flakes, but feel free to use black pepper instead. Both work great.<\/p>\n
How to Make Pasta Salad: An Italian Pasta Salad Recipe\u00a0<\/p>\n
Make the Italian Dressing:\u00a0Place the basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper in a food processor and pulse until smooth. There should be no large chunks of anything! Set aside or in the fridge until needed.
\nCook the Pasta:\u00a0Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook until al dente, then drain the pasta. To help it cool down quickly, you\u2019ll need to rinse it under cold water until cool.
\nPrep the Salad Ingredients:\u00a0In the meantime, prep the remaining salad ingredients. You\u2019ll want to slice the cherry tomatoes in half and thinly slice the basil and red onion. Remove the mozzarella cheese balls from the oil and set them aside, too.
\nGrab a Large Bowl:\u00a0Combine the cooled pasta, with the Italian salad dressing and toss. Toss in the tomatoes, onion, fresh herbs, and cheese and toss well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Can you Make Pasta Salad Ahead of Time?
\nYes, this recipe can be made in advance! In fact, I think it tastes best after 24 hours in the fridge. It allows the flavors to mingle and develop. Plus, who doesn\u2019t love a big bowl cold tomato basil pasta salad waiting for them in their fridge?! If you\u2019re going to make this pasta salad in advance, just be sure to cook your pasta al dente. Overcooked noodles will quickly get mushy in this salad, and that would be a shame! I find 7 to 8 minutes at a full boil is usually perfect \u2013 but this will vary depending on the variety and brand of pasta you choose.
\nWhile we\u2019re on the subject of the dressing, you can make that ahead of time, too! Just be sure to cover it well and store it in the fridge.<\/p>\n
How long is pasta salad good for in the fridge?
\nIf you\u2019re lucky enough to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Sometimes I make a batch at the beginning of the week so I can enjoy a bowl everyday for lunch.
\nI like keeping this 20-Minute Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Pasta Salad very simple and vegetarian friendly! But feel free to bulk it up by adding grilled chicken or shrimp. Or add more veggies like broccoli, arugula, or avocado. It\u2019s very adaptable! Made as is, this pasta salad is perfect for picnics, BBQ\u2019s, and other outdoor Summer events. Just stir it every so often to keep it looking fresh.
\nThis is basically SUMMER in pasta salad form\u2026 I hope you make it and enjoy it!<\/p>\n
Can you Freeze Pasta Salad?
\nSadly, the answer to this question is no. I mean, you can technically freeze anything. But you shouldn\u2019t freeze pasta salad. It will emerge from your freezer soggy and very unappetizing.\u00a0
\nFor more Pasta Salad Recipes:<\/p>\n
Easy Pasta Salad Recipe<\/p>\n
Ashley Manila<\/p>\n
We basically always have a large bowl of this easy pasta salad in the fridge! Loaded with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh herbs, and Italian dressing, it’s the perfect summer side dish. Make it as is, or bulk it up with grilled chicken, shrimp, or extra veggies like chopped bell pepper, cucumbers, or zucchini.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Prep Time 12 minutes minsCook Time 8 minutes minsTotal Time 20 minutes mins<\/p>\n
Course Dinner, Lunch, Salad, Side DishCuisine American, Italian<\/p>\n
Ingredients\u00a0For the Basil Dressing:1\/2 cup fresh basil loosely packed 3 cloves garlic minced 3\/4 cup olive oil1\/4 cup fresh lemon juice1 and 1\/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 3\/4 teaspoon salt 1\/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes OR freshly ground black pepper For the Pasta Salad:1 pound farfalle pasta1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half 1\/2 cup red onion thinly sliced 1 12 ounce container marinated mozzarella balls removed from oil1\/3 cup fresh basil loosely packed, thinly sliced
\nInstructions\u00a0For the Basil Dressing:In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pulse on high for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, or until smooth. There should be no large chunks of anything! If there is, continue blending. Set aside until needed.For the Pasta Salad:Place a large pot of salted water over high heat; bring to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half; thinly slice the basil and thinly slice the red onion; set aside until needed. Remove the mozzarella balls from the oil and set aside.When the pasta has finished cooking, drain it at once and quickly rinse it under cold water until cool, about 1 minute. Place cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add dressing to pasta, then add the tomatoes, basil, onion, and mozzarella balls. Toss to combine.Serve at once, or chill until needed.
\nNotesPasta salad may be made and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.<\/p>\n
Keyword pasta, pasta recipe, pasta salad<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We basically always have a large bowl of this easy pasta salad in the fridge! Loaded with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh herbs, and Italian dressing, it\u2019s the perfect summer side dish. Make it as is, or bulk it up with grilled chicken, shrimp, or extra veggies like chopped bell pepper, cucumbers, or zucchini.\u00a0 Pasta […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1422","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthy-meals"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1422\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}