Italian Pasta Salad
If you're looking for the perfect dish to bring to a BBQ, cookout, picnic, or potluck, this Italian Pasta Salad is always a crowd-pleaser. It combines classic Italian flavors with crisp cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, creamy bocconcini, and plenty of fresh herbs. It's tossed in a bright homemade vinaigrette that keeps every bite fresh and flavorful.
Pasta salads are a great side dish and I love that this one is easy to make ahead. It's also great that it pairs beautifully with everything from Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers and grilled Portuguese Chicken to sandwiches and holiday meals. While it's a staple at our summer gatherings, it's just as welcome on the table year-round when I need an easy side dish everyone will enjoy.
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Why I Love This Salad
- It's the perfect balance of fresh, classic Italian flavors with crisp vegetables, herbs, and creamy bocconcini in every bite.
- It's a true crowd-pleaser for BBQs, cookouts, and potlucks - I never have to bring home with leftovers.
- The homemade vinaigrette is bright, tangy, and light, and it keeps the salad from feeling heavy.
- It's incredibly make-ahead friendly, and actually tastes even better after it has time to chill.
- It works for so many occasions - summer gatherings, picnics, family dinners, and even holiday spreads.
Ingredients
Exact quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Pasta
- Pasta - The base of the salad that soaks up all the dressing. It makes the dish hearty and satisfying while still letting the fresh ingredients shine. The bow tie shape adds extra texture and is pretty.
- Cucumber - It's cool, crisp crunch keeps the salad feeling light and refreshing.
- Celery - Brings extra crunch and a subtle savoury flavour that balances the softer ingredients.
- Cherry tomatoes - Add juicy sweetness and a burst of freshness that brightens every bite.
- Kalamata olives - Bring a salty, briny depth that gives the salad its classic Mediterranean and Italian-inspired flavor.
- Bocconcini - Soft, creamy cheese that balances the acidity in the dressing and makes the salad more satisfying and rich.
- Fresh basil leaves - Add sweet, aromatic freshness that instantly gives the salad that classic Italian flavour profile.
- Fresh flat leaf parsley - Adds a clean, slightly peppery freshness and keeps the flavor balanced and vibrant.
Dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil - Forms the base of the dressing, adding richness and helping coat the pasta evenly.
- Apple cider vinegar - Provides tangy acidity that cuts through the richness and keeps the salad bright.
- Lemon juice - Adds fresh citrus brightness and enhances the overall acidity for a more vibrant flavor.
- Water - Lightens the dressing so it coats the pasta without feeling too heavy or oily.
- Dijon mustard - Helps emulsify the dressing so it blends smoothly and clings to the pasta and veggies, while adding a subtle sharpness.
- Sugar - Balances the acidity from the vinegar and lemon juice, rounding out the flavour.
- Fresh garlic - Adds bold savoury depth and a classic Mediterranean punch.
- Italian Seasoning - Brings together dried herbs like oregano and basil to reinforce the Italian-inspired flavor profile.
- Ground black pepper - Adds gentle heat and enhances the overall seasoning.
- Salt - Essential for bringing all the flavors together and making each ingredient taste more vibrant.
Instructions
Begin by preparing the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to the boil. The water should taste lightly salty.
- Add pasta to the boiling water. Continue boiling until the pasta is about two minutes past al dente. Prepare the dressing while the pasta boils (step 3)
- Drain into a colander.
- While the pasta is boiling, make the vinaigrette dressing. Add all the ingredients to a bowl.
- Whisk vigorously together to form an emulsion.
- Pour half the dressing onto the warm pasta and stir together. Let the pasta cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes with intermittent stirring.
- Add all the chopped ingredients to the pasta and the rest of the dressing. Stir together and it's ready to serve and enjoy.
Hint: It is better to overcook the pasta then to stop at al dente. As pasta cools it firms up. It is nicer to have a softer bite than hard pieces of pasta in your mouth. That said, you don't want the pasta to be mushy. It's a fine balance - usually 2 min past al dente is good.
Substitutions
You can easily turn this into a gluten-free Italian pasta salad by swapping out regular pasta for your favorite gluten-free version.
- Veggies - feel free to use up the vegetables you have in your fridge. For example, You can replace any of the veggies listed and add others like broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, red onion, diced or shredded carrots to name a few.
- Apple cider vinegar - If you don't have apple cider vinegar you can use other light vinegars like red or white wine vinegar, or rice wine vinegar or even just add more lemon juice.
- Water - normally the 3 tablespoon of water in the dressing would be 3 tablespoon of more olive oil, so you can omit the water and add more oil, but I like to keep my dressings as light as possible.
- Kalamata olives - you can replace with regular black olives (less briny), capers (still nice and briny), or omit completely if you prefer.
- Bocconcini cheese - replace with your favorite cheese, such as feta or cheddar.
- Vinaigrette - if you are in a hurry, you can also just use your favorite store bought Italian vinaigrette.
Equipment
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Storage
This Italian pasta salad can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Best served at or near room temperature. I do not recommend freezing it.
Top Tip
If making ahead, I recommend saving a bit of the dressing to add just before serving. The flavors do get absorbed as the salad sits in the fridge and a little fresh dressing livens it back up. Also, I recommend adding the fresh herbs just before serving so they stay fresh looking.
FAQ
For pasta salad, the best shapes are the ones that hold dressing well, trap little bits of vegetables and herbs, and stay pleasant to eat when cold. So look for shapes like rotini, penne, gemelli, and bow tie.
The flavors and textures are best at room temperature or a little cooler. If you serve straight from the fridge the flavors will be a bit muted and the pasta a bit hard.
Yes, you can make it up to a day or two in advance. Reserve some of the dressing and don't add the fresh herbs in until you are ready to serve.
Pasta naturally absorbs dressing as it chills. If your salad seems dry, simply stir in a tablespoon or two of olive oil, lemon juice, or vinegar, before serving to refresh it.
Related
If you like this pasta salad, you might also be interested in these other salads:
Pairing
Trying to decide on what to serve with your Italian pasta salad? It is great with burgers and hot dogs plus other meats like:
Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cups
- Whisk
- Serving Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb Bow tie pasta (450g)
- 2 cups Cucumbers diced
- 1 cup Celery diced
- 2 cups Halved cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives whole or chopped
- 7 oz bocconcini (200g)
- ½ cup basil leaves thinly sliced and loosely packed
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley chopped and loosely packed
Dressing
- 6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 clove garlic finely minced
- 2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to the boil. The water should taste lightly salty.
- Add pasta to the boiling water. Continue boiling until the pasta is about two minutes past al dente. Prepare the dressing while the pasta boils. (1 lb Bow tie pasta)
- Drain into a colander.
- While the pasta is boiling, make the vinaigrette dressing. Add all the ingredients to a bowl. (6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoon water, 2 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 clove garlic finely minced, 2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt)
- Whisk vigorously together to form an emulsion.
- Pour half the dressing onto the warm pasta and stir together. Let the pasta cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes with intermittent stirring.
- Add all the chopped ingredients to the pasta and the rest of the dressing. Stir together and it's ready to serve and enjoy. (2 cups Cucumbers, 1 cup Celery, 2 cups Halved cherry tomatoes, ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives , 7 oz bocconcini, ½ cup basil leaves thinly sliced and loosely packed, ½ cup flat leaf parsley)
Notes
- It is better to overcook the pasta then to stop at al dente. As pasta cools it firms up. It is nicer to have a softer bite than hard pieces of pasta in your mouth. That said, you don't want the pasta to be mushy. It's a fine balance - usually 2 min past al dente is good.
- This Italian pasta salad can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Best served at or near room temperature. I do not recommend freezing it.
- If making ahead I recommend saving a bit of the dressing to add just before serving. The flavors do get absorbed as the salad sits in the fridge and a little fresh dressing livens it back up. Also, I recommend adding the fresh herbs just before serving so they stay fresh looking.
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