Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Printable)

A vibrant pasta dish tossed with fresh vegetables and tangy Italian dressing, perfect for warm weather sides.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as rotini, fusilli, or penne

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced

→ Cheese

08 - 3/4 cup mozzarella pearls or diced mozzarella

→ Herbs

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

→ Italian Dressing

11 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until well emulsified.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and mozzarella.
04 - Pour the prepared Italian dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Add the fresh chopped parsley and basil to the salad. Toss again to distribute the herbs evenly throughout.
06 - Transfer the salad to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes. This allows flavors to meld and develop for optimal taste.
07 - Taste the salad before serving and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually improves in the fridge, so you can make it hours ahead and stop stressing about last-minute prep.
  • The combination of textures—crisp vegetables, soft pasta, creamy cheese—keeps your fork interested with every bite.
  • One homemade dressing recipe beats any bottled version and costs less than a fancy coffee.
02 -
  • If you skip the cold-water rinse on the pasta, it'll stick together into a clump and the dressing won't coat evenly no matter how hard you toss.
  • The dressing tastes sharper when the salad is cold, so go easier on the vinegar than you think you should; you can always add more salt and pepper right before serving.
  • Mozzarella pearls stay creamy and separate longer than shredded mozzarella, which clumps together as it sits.
03 -
  • If you're making this more than a few hours ahead, reserve some dressing to drizzle in right before serving because the pasta keeps drinking and the salad can look dry by dinner time.
  • A tiny squeeze of fresh lemon juice in the dressing brightens everything and acts as another flavor layer that vinegar alone doesn't provide.
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