Italian pasta salad is a vibrant and easy cold pasta dish made with cooked pasta, fresh vegetables, mozzarella cheese balls, and a zesty Italian dressing. Perfect for meal prep, picnics, potlucks, or cleaning out the fridge with fresh seasonal ingredients.
Table of Contents
- Why I Love This Italian Pasta Salad
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Italian Pasta Salad
- How to Store & Make Ahead
- Other Pasta Salad Recipe You’ll Love
- Final Thoughts
- Connect With Me
Now that the warm weather is here, I find myself craving recipes that are low-effort but high-reward. Especially for outdoor lunches, casual gatherings, or fridge clean-out days. One of my absolute go-to recipes during the summer months is Italian-inspired pasta salad. It’s endlessly customizable, uses pantry and fridge staples, and makes use of fresh summer produce in the best way.
The truth is, this Italian pasta salad started as a fridge-foraging situation. You know the kind: half a cucumber, a handful of cherry tomatoes, a few stray basil leaves, and that lonely red onion tucked in the crisper drawer. But once tossed with a bright, zesty Italian salad dressing, it turned into something magical and satisfying.
As a recipe developer and home entertaining expert, I’m always thinking about ways to help you cook at home more often, with confidence and creativity. Specifically, using minimal ingredients, but packing in big, bold flavor. This pasta salad does exactly that.
Why I Love This Italian Pasta Salad
What I love most about this easy Italian pasta salad is its versatility. Whether you’re prepping ahead for a picnic, hosting a barbecue, or just making lunch for the week, this dish comes together quickly and is even better the next day. It also encourages reducing food waste, toss in what you have and turn scraps into something beautiful.
Plus, it’s naturally vegetarian, incredibly colorful, and easy to double for a crowd.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what I used in this version, but don’t be afraid to mix and match based on what you have:
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Cucumber, sliced
- Fresh mozzarella balls or mozzarella cheese, cubed
- Sliced red onion
- Red and yellow bell peppers, chopped
- Fresh basil, torn
- Handful of arugula
- Fresh blueberries – a surprising touch of sweetness!
- Cooked pasta – rotini, fusilli, or bowtie work great
- Homemade Italian Salad Dressing
Optional Add-ins
Want more texture, flavor, or protein? Try adding:
- Black or Kalamata olives
- Salami or pepperoni slices
- Chickpeas or white beans
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Artichoke hearts
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Roasted red peppers
- Fresh herbs like oregano, dill, or parsley
How to Make Italian Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.
- Chop vegetables and prep your mix-ins.
- In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the veggies, mozzarella, herbs, and blueberries.
- Pour over dressing and toss gently until everything is well coated.
- Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before serving so the flavors can marry.
Recipe Tips
Salt your pasta water generously! It’s your first chance to flavor the pasta.
Let the pasta cool completely before adding cheese and greens to avoid wilting or melting.
Make it ahead! This pasta salad tastes even better the next day once it’s had time to absorb the dressing.
Add more dressing if needed just before serving, as the pasta tends to soak it up over time.
How to Store & Make Ahead
Store your cold Italian pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s ideal for make-ahead lunches, meal prep, or picnic-style serving.
FAQ
Other Pasta Salad Recipe You’ll Love
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Arugula & Chickpea Pasta Salad
- Chickpea Pasta Salad with Feta Dressing
- Creamy Lemon Pasta Salad
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never made a pasta salad recipe with Italian dressing from scratch, this is your sign. It’s the kind of dish that brings people together! It’s colorful, bright, and made with love. Whether you’re cleaning out the fridge or prepping for a summer gathering, this Italian pasta salad is your new go-to.
And remember: cooking at home doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious. A few fresh ingredients, a zippy dressing, and a big bowl of pasta are sometimes all you need to make a truly memorable dish.
Connect With Me
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Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
If you’ve never made a pasta salad recipe with Italian dressing from scratch, this is your sign. It’s the kind of dish that brings people together! It's colourful, bright, and made with love. Whether you're cleaning out the fridge or prepping for a summer gathering, this Italian pasta salad is your new go-to.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked pasta (rotini, fusilli, or bowtie recommended)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small cucumber, sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls (or mozzarella, cubed)
- Handful of fresh arugula
- Small handful fresh basil leaves, torn
- ½ cup fresh blueberries (optional but delightful!)
- My Creamy Italian Salad Dressing (linked below)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Let cool completely.
- Chop all vegetables and ingredients while the pasta cools.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, mozzarella, arugula, basil, and blueberries.
- In a jar or small bowl, shake or whisk together all dressing ingredients until well combined. Find the full directions for that here!
- Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Chill for 20–30 minutes before serving, or serve immediately if preferred.
Notes
Find the full recipe for my Creamy Italian Salad Dressing recipe HERE!
Christopher is a food and lifestyle expert, recipe developer and the content creator behind May Eighty Five. With over 6 years of creating recipes for your favourite food brands, he also shares tips, tricks and how to’s that he has learnt over the years. Every week, he shares quick, simple and mostly healthy recipes along with some home and entertaining tips. You will find flavorful cocktails, delicious appetizers, tasty mains and some indulgent desserts.
