Italian Pasta Salad

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Who doesn’t love a quick and easy lunch or side dish with a pop of flavor and color? Italian pasta salad is great for feeding a crowd at your dinner table or at a family picnic. It’s also the perfect meal to store in your fridge when you are in a rush and need something ready to eat. Italian pasta salad is a versatile dish that allows you to create your favorite combination of ingredients and make use of your garden produce.

Ingredients: Italian Pasta Salad

16 oz (1 lb) box of penne pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)
12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup bell pepper, diced (red, yellow, orange, green, or a mix of colors)
6 oz pitted black olives, halved
1/2 cup pickled pepperoncini, sliced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
4 oz salami, sliced
1 cup vinaigrette dressing, plus more for serving (store bought or homemade)

Instructions: Italian Pasta Salad

Prepare pasta: Boil the pasta according to the directions on the package. Once the pasta is al dente (tender but firm), strain the cooking water, and then rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Prepare ingredients: While the pasta is boiling, prepare the other ingredients by dicing/slicing on a cutting board and combining in a large bowl.
Add pasta and vinaigrette: Strain any excess water from the pasta and add the pasta to the bowl with the other ingredients. Add the vinaigrette and stir to combine.
Refrigerate: Cover and store the pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The flavors will continue to develop the longer it sits.
Serve: When ready to serve, stir the pasta salad to incorporate the vinaigrette that settled on the bottom of the bowl. You may need to add more vinaigrette if the pasta salad appears dry.

Other Variations

The options are endless when it comes to ingredients for your Italian pasta salad. Think about the different colors and flavors you can create. Here are some ideas:

Other types of cheeses, such as mozzarella or provolone
Different flavors of olives, such as kalamata
Variety of diced tomatoes from your garden
If you like heat, try experimenting with hot peppers
Other Italian meats, such as pepperoni or pancetta
Add red onion for an extra bite and pop of color
If you love herbs, add chopped parsley or basil

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Italian pasta salad is a versatile dish that allows you to create your favorite combination of ingredients and make use of your garden produce.

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Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Easy, Italian, Peppers, Salads, Sides, Tomatoes

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Resting Time: 1

Total Time: 1 25

Servings: people

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Garden with Amber

Ingredients

16 oz penne pasta or other pasta shape
12 oz cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup bell pepper diced (red, yellow, orange, green, or mix)
6 oz black olives pitted and halved
1/2 cup pickled pepperoncini or banana peppers sliced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded
4 oz salami sliced
1 cup vinaigrette dressing store bought or homemade

Instructions

Prepare pasta: Boil the pasta according to the directions on the package. Once the pasta is al dente (tender but firm), strain the cooking water, and then rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Prepare ingredients: While the pasta is boiling, prepare the other ingredients by dicing/slicing on a cutting board and combining in a large bowl.
Add pasta and vinaigrette: Strain any excess water from the pasta and add the pasta to the bowl with the other ingredients. Add the vinaigrette and stir to combine.
Refrigerate: Cover and store the pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The flavors will continue to develop the longer it sits.
Serve: When ready to serve, stir the pasta salad to incorporate the vinaigrette that settled on the bottom of the bowl. You may need to add more vinaigrette if the pasta salad appears dry.