Italian Pasta Salad
This colorful Italian pasta salad tosses tender pasta with crisp vegetables, cheese, and a zippy vinaigrette. It is a potluck and barbecue staple that only gets better as it sits. Make a big bowl and keep it in the fridge for easy lunches.
- ⏱ 25 min
- 📊 easy
- 🍽 Family
Ingredients
- 400 g short pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 200 g mozzarella or feta
- 1 cup bell pepper and olives
- to dress Italian vinaigrette
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until just al dente, then drain.
- Toss the warm pasta with a few spoons of the vinaigrette and let it cool.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes and dice the pepper.
- Combine the cooled pasta with the vegetables, cheese, and olives.
- Add the remaining dressing and toss well.
- Season generously with salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
- Chill at least 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
💡 Chef's tip
Slightly over-season the salad, since chilled food tastes more muted and the flavors mellow as it sits in the fridge.
Tossing the warm, just-drained pasta with a little dressing first lets it soak up flavor from the inside, where cold pasta would simply repel it.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Protein: 12 g
- Carbs: 48 g
- Fat: 14 g
