Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

Italian Pasta Salad is a vibrant, refreshing, and satisfying dish that brings together the best flavors of the Mediterranean. It’s a perfect harmony of colors, textures, and tastes, making it an essential side dish for summer BBQs, potlucks, picnics, or a light and easy weeknight dinner.

This recipe uses a corkscrew-shaped pasta, rotini, which excels at catching and holding onto the dressing. We toss it with a curated selection of crisp vegetables—sweet cherry tomatoes, crunchy English cucumbers, and fresh green bell peppers—alongside briny black olives and zesty red onions. The salad is anchored by a generous dose of sharp, crumbled feta cheese, and every bite is finished with a simple, herb-infused Italian vinaigrette that ties all the components together. It’s bright, zesty, and undeniably delicious.

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Recipe: The Italian Pasta Salad

• Prep time: 15 minutes

• Cook time: 10 minutes

• Chilling time (recommended): 1 hour

• Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

This recipe uses the exact ingredients layout shown in the image:

For the Vinaigrette Dressing:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried oregano, basil, and parsley)

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Pasta Salad Base:

• 1 lb (16 oz) rotini (corkscrew) pasta

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 cup English cucumber, diced (roughly 1/2 cucumber)

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 1/2 cup sliced black olives

• 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced

• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Prepare the Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini pasta according to the package directions until al dente (firm to the bite). Do not overcook. Drain the pasta immediately and rinse it with cold water for 20-30 seconds to stop the cooking process and rinse away excess starch. This prevents it from getting mushy in the salad.

2. Make the Italian Vinaigrette: In a small bowl or a glass jar with a tight lid, combine all the dressing ingredients: olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until the mixture is well combined and emulsified.

3. Assemble the Salad: In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced English cucumber, diced green bell pepper, sliced black olives, finely diced red onion, and crumbled feta cheese. Add most of the chopped fresh parsley, reserving a pinch for garnish.

4. Toss with Dressing: Give the vinaigrette one last whisk to make sure it’s mixed. Drizzle the dressing over the salad components. Toss gently but thoroughly until everything is evenly coated in the vinaigrette.

5. Chill and Serve: While you can serve it immediately, the flavors are best if the salad has time to marry. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Before serving, give the salad one last gentle toss to redistribute any dressing that may have settled at the bottom. Garnish with the remaining fresh parsley.

Pro-Tips and Substitutions

• Make it ahead: This salad is a perfect make-ahead dish! The pasta will continue to absorb the dressing, becoming more flavorful.

• Choose your cheese: Feta provides a wonderful salty tang, but you can substitute it with mozzarella pearls (as seen in the finished product picture in the prompt) for a creamier texture, or shaved parmesan for a sharp kick.

• Add protein: Turn this into a main course by adding sliced salami, pepperoni, chopped grilled chicken, or chickpeas.

• Spice it up: For a little heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to your vinaigrette.