Italian Pasta Salad
A vibrant and flavorful pasta salad that combines fresh vegetables, cheese, and a zesty dressing for a delightful experience.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz. fusilli or rotini pasta
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 1/2 cups mini fresh mozzarella cheese balls (about 8 ounces)
- 1 medium red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 1/2 each English cucumber diced
- 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 3/4 cup kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 3/4 cup sliced pepperoncini
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 recipe Italian Dressing
- 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a large bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, diced red bell pepper, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, kalamata olives, and sliced pepperoncini.
- Once the pasta is cooked and cooled to room temperature, add it to the bowl with the vegetables.
- Toss everything together gently. Add the Italian dressing, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and mix until well combined.
- Stir in the fresh basil leaves before serving. Garnish with additional basil if desired.
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Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.