Description
A bright and tangy pasta salad that’s perfect for potlucks and picnics, featuring a vinegar-olive oil dressing and crunchy vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) short pasta (penne, rotini, or farfalle)
- 4–6 quarts heavily salted water (about 1 tbsp kosher salt per 4 quarts)
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Chopped cherry tomatoes
- Diced cucumber
- Sliced pepperoni or salami (optional)
- Sliced red onion
- Diced bell pepper
- 3/4 cup diced mozzarella or parmesan shavings
- Handful of chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente, typically 8–10 minutes.
- Drain and rinse under cold water or plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking.
- Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, oregano, garlic powder, and kosher salt.
- Toss the cooled pasta with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, optional pepperoni or salami, red onion, bell pepper, mozzarella or parmesan, and parsley.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
For best flavor, let the salad chill before serving. Adjust dressing ingredients to taste based on your preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 30mg