The Best Pasta Salad Recipe
This quick and easy pasta salad recipe is packed with crisp vegetables, fresh mozzarella, and tossed with a simple homemade dressing. It's a versatile dish that can be customized with your favorite ingredients. The salad tastes even better over time, making it a great make-ahead option. The recipe takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. It's the perfect side dish for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta such as fusilli,penne, rotini, or farfalle
- 1 cup sliced bell pepper
- 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced scallions (5 to 6)
- ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini or banana peppers
- 1 cup mixed olives, halved
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese or hard cheese
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls, chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley or basil optional
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar,white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
- ½ tbsp fine sea salt, plusmore to taste
- ½ tbsp fresh ground black pepper
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
- 2-3 tbsp juice from pepperoncini jar
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients and equipment needed for the recipe.
- Fill a large pot with water and add salt to it. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- While the water isheating, prepare the vegetables. Slice the bell pepper, zucchini, andscallions. Halve the cherry tomatoes and olives. Grate the parmesan cheese. Ifusing, chop the fresh parsley or basil. Set aside.
- Once the water is boiling, add the dried pasta to the pot. Cook the pasta according to the recommended cooking time on the package, usually around 6 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing. In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and optional juice from the pepperoncini jar. Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking to emulsify the dressing. Set aside.
- When the pasta is cooked to al dente (firm to the bite), drain it in a colander and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down quickly.
- Transfer the cookedand cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing. Toss well to coat the pastawith the dressing.
- Add the sliced bell pepper, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, scallions, optional pepperoncini or banana peppers, olives, grated parmesan cheese, fresh mozzarella balls, and optional fresh parsley or basil to the bowl with the dressed pasta. Mix everything together gently.
- Taste the salad andadjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- For the best results, cover the bowl and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. The salad can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.