Italian Pasta Salad

Never Think About What to Make for Dinner for the Next Two Months with My Lazy Cooking Bundle

Our family is obsessed with this easy Italian pasta salad recipe – inspired by our favorite antipasto dishes. This pasta salad has it all. It’s both quick and delicious, takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and tastes even better as leftovers.

For other classic side dishes, check out our macaroni salad, ambrosia salad and coleslaw recipes.

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Italian Pasta salad ingredients

You will need:

• 16 oz rotini pasta, cooked according to instructions on box
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ zucchini, thinly sliced
• ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
• ½ green bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup black olives, sliced
• ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup Italian vinaigrette dressing
• 1 lemon, juiced

Ingredient Substitutions & Additions

DIFFERENT VEGETABLES: This is a simple, quick recipe that you can easily customize with any seasonal veggies that you have on hand. If you want to experiment with different flavors, you could also add in chopped cucumbers or make it with onions or with broccoli.

ADD MEAT: We have made this salad with salami. You could also make it with pepperoni, with shrimp, or with chicken as well.

Make this pasta salad in 3 easy steps

STEP ONE: Cook the rotini pasta according to the package directions until al dente  and still slightly firm. Drain and rinse with cold water.

STEP TWO: Add all ingredients, including dressing – to a large bowl and stir gently to combine.

STEP THREE: For best flavor, refrigerate for 4 hours before serving. This will allow the  acidity in the salad to mingle the flavors together.

STORING THIS RECIPE

MAKE AHEAD: If you’re prepping for a big gathering, I love making Italian pasta salad the day before. I think the flavors are even better after they’ve been marinating in the dressing in the fridge overnight.

STORING IN THE FRIDGE: You can keep pasta salad in the fridge for up to five days. So, if the bowl isn’t scraped clean by the end of your meal, don’t fret.

SERVE THIS WITH:

It’s a tasty addition to any meal. We love it with grilled chicken, wings, chili dogs or hamburgers. I think you could serve it with just about anything, it’s such a hearty and simple favorite.

I’m confident you’ll love this Italian pasta salad as much as we do — I hope you enjoy it soon! It only takes a few minutes to prepare and is the best side dish for any summer gathering. I often take it to potlucks and backyard barbecues — and there are rarely leftovers.

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