Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
A bright, tangy pasta salad tossed with homemade Italian dressing, fresh vegetables, mozzarella, and optional salami. Easy to make ahead and perfect for picnics, potlucks, or meal prep.
Ingredients
Salad
- 12 ounces rotini pasta or farfalle pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 medium cucumber seeded and diced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup black olives sliced
- 1 cup mozzarella pearls or cubed mozzarella
- ½ cup salami diced (optional)
- Handful fresh basil leaves torn
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Italian Dressing
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey or sugar, optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- Whisk together olive oil, garlic, oregano, Dijon, honey, salt, and pepper. Adjust to taste.
- In a large bowl, toss cooled pasta with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, olives, mozzarella, and salami if using.
- Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours.
- Before serving, add torn basil, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Undercook the pasta slightly to prevent mushiness after chilling.
- Add cucumbers and herbs just before serving if you want a fresher texture after several days in the fridge.
- For a creamier dressing, stir in 2–3 tablespoons mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.
- This salad keeps well for 3–4 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 12gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 560mgSugar: 4g
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