Pasta Salad That Stays Bright, Fresh, and Easy
This Pasta Salad is fresh, colorful, and easy to make ahead with tender pasta, crisp vegetables, creamy mozzarella, and a tangy homemade dressing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boil and toss
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound farfalle pasta, or rotini
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
- 1 medium English cucumber, cut into half-moons, about 2 cups
- 1 cup diced mozzarella
- 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion, optional
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic, from a jar or 2 cloves
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, keeping it tender but not overdone. Drain well.
- Set the pasta aside to cool while you cut the tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
- Pour the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, honey, salt, garlic, and black pepper into a pint-size jar. Seal and shake until blended, or whisk everything together in a small bowl.
- Place the cooled pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella, red onion, and dressing in a large bowl or storage container. Toss gently until evenly coated.
- Serve chilled or let it sit briefly and enjoy at room temperature.
- Taste before serving and add a little more salt or oregano, as needed.
Notes
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir well before serving.
- Use the same amount of pesto, bottled Italian dressing, or Caesar dressing for a quick flavor change.
- Stir in cooked diced chicken, drained chickpeas, white beans, or cooked cooled shrimp for extra protein.
- Add 1 cup thinly sliced salami and/or 1 cup black olives for a heartier version.
- Use gluten-free pasta if needed.
- Leave out the mozzarella for a dairy-free version.
- For a Chicken Caesar version, add 2 cups cooked chicken and Caesar dressing, then finish with croutons if desired.
- For a quick Italian version, use bottled Italian dressing and add sliced black olives and salami.
- For a Southwest version, swap in diced cheddar, add 1 can drained and rinsed black beans, and use a Mexican-style dressing such as lime vinaigrette.
- For a pesto version, replace the Italian dressing with pesto.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 267 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
Keywords: Pasta Salad, easy pasta salad, cold pasta salad, summer pasta salad