Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

A vibrant pasta dish tossed with fresh vegetables and zesty Italian dressing, ideal for warm days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as rotini, fusilli, or penne

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced

→ Cheese

08 - 3/4 cup mozzarella pearls or diced mozzarella

→ Herbs

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

→ Italian Dressing

11 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and mozzarella.
04 - Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Add parsley and basil to the salad and toss gently to incorporate throughout.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and salad to chill.
07 - Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar to suit your preference before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can make it the morning of your picnic without stress.
  • The longer it sits, the better it tastes as the pasta absorbs all that garlicky, vinegary goodness.
  • Everyone eats it, from picky eaters who pick out what they don't like to people who go back for thirds.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the pasta under cold water, because warm pasta will turn mushy and the cheese will split and become greasy instead of creamy.
  • This salad actually improves overnight as the pasta continues absorbing the dressing, so making it the day before a picnic is a small advantage, not a last-minute compromise.
03 -
  • Make your dressing in a jar and shake it vigorously so the mustard helps emulsify the oil and vinegar, preventing it from separating in the bowl.
  • Taste the salad cold straight from the fridge, because cold food needs bolder seasoning to register on your taste buds, so what seems perfectly salted when you make it might taste flat when chilled.
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