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We are coming into Salad season here now with warmer temperatures. Many people are having cookouts at the weekend or going on picnics and there is nothing nicer to serve on one of those occasions than a pasta salad.
This Italian Pasta Salad recipe is one of my favorite pasta salad recipes to use. Not only is it loaded with color and crunch, but it has bags of texture and flavor as well! Add to that the fact that it is really quick and easy to make and you have a real winner of a side dish to serve in the summer months!
This salad is really a meal in and of itself, with loads of crisp veggies, sweet cherry tomatoes, sharp red onions, meaty kalamata olives, hard salami, peppers, milky mozzarella balls, salty Parmesan, fresh herbs and a lovely spicy Italian dressing!
It can also be made well ahead of time which makes for a very convenient dish to have on hand in the summertime. It makes a great portable lunch as well if you are having to take your lunch with you to work or school.
I can promise you that every bite is loaded with taste and texture. Prepare to fall in love!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
It looks like quite a lengthy list of ingredients but trust me when I tell you that most of them are really quite ordinary things.
115g dry pasta (1 cup), cooked until al dente according to package directions
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
8 Bocchini, halved (mini mozzarella balls)
1/2 each red and orange bell peppers, trimmed and chopped
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and chopped
12 kalamata olives, halved
6 large leaves of basil, rolled and slivered
a small handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 ounces hard dry Italian salami, diced
6 marinated artichokes, quartered
120ml of Italian Salad Dressing (1/2 cup) (or try out my homemade dressing below)
3 TBS coarsely grated Parmesan Cheese
You can use any kind of pasta you like for this, but I like to use a variety of pasta that really hugs the dressing. Spirals, bow ties, elbows, etc. What you don’t want is a totally flat pasta. You also will want shorter shapes, not long pieces like spaghetti.
If you want to be healthy use whole wheat or high fiber pasta.
I like to use the Italian cherry tomatoes. Italian tomatoes have the best flavor.
Not able to get the Bocchini? Then just cube regular mozzarella into 1/2-inch cubes. It will work fine.
I love Kalamata olives. If you can’t get then you can just use black olives, but really Kalamata olives will give you the best flavor!
If you don’t have marinated artichokes, you can use canned. But do use the marinated, well drained, if you have them for the optimum flavor!
Please use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor!
This delicious homemade Dry Italian Salad Dressing Mix works really well in this salad. Alternately you can just use bottled Italian Dressing!
Make Your Own Dry Italian Salad Dressing Mix: Mix together 1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt, 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder, 1 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. dried oregano, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1/8 tsp. dried thyme, 1/2 tsp. dried basil, 1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley, 1/8 tsp. celery salt, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a container. Thoroughly combine and store in an airtight container. This makes 3 TBS. To make salad dressing, combine the 1 TBS of the dressing mix with 1/2 cup (120ml) canola oil, 2 TBS white vinegar and 1 TBS of water. Shake well together and leave to sit for about 10 minutes before using. Shake again when you go to use it.
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
You know a recipe is really simple to make when all you have to do is to prepare the ingredients, chop the veggies, etc. and then toss them together with a simple dressing. That’s it in a nutshell! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
FIVE RULES TO FOLLOW WHEN MAKING PASTA SALADS
1. Always make sure to use the right type of pasta shape for your particular salad. This depends on the dressing you are using. A vinaigrette dressing is suited to almost any shape, but if you are using a creamy dressing you will want to use a pasta which will hug onto and hold the dressing.
2. Take care not to over cook the pasta, or under cook the pasta. Remember your pasta will absorb some of the dressing and soften a bit upon standing, so you want your pasta to be cooked just to al dente. Crunchy under-cooked pasta is never good any time. Follow the directions included on your package of pasta to get it right!
3. Make sure you season your pasta right, which means cooking it in salted boiling water, and then tasting it when its done. If you think it needs a bit more salt or pepper then add it. Just be careful not to add too much. You cannot remove what is already done.
4. Unless otherwise directed do not dress your pasta salads while the pasta is still warm. Warm pasta will soak up all of your dressing and leave you with a dry pasta salad. You can add half of the dressing while it is still warm, but hold off on adding the remainder until the salad is completely cold.
5. Take care not to make your salad too far in advance or you will end up with a bowl of soggy pasta. Making it on the day you are actually going to serve it is a great rule of thumb to follow.
If you follow these five rules there is no reason why your pasta salads cannot all be delicious and popular at any gathering!
One final rule, less is more! Don’t be tempted to go overboard with either the dressing or the add ins!
This really is a beautiful summer salad. Perfect for lunch or as a side for a BBQ supper. Perfect also to take to picnics. If you are taking it on a picnic, pack it in an airtight container and bring along a bit of extra dressing to toss it with when you get there!
I really think you are going to enjoy this tasty salad! I know I sure do! I love Italian flavors!
We are right on the cusp of salad season here in Canada. Here are a few other pasta salads that I really enjoy! I can promise you that they are really delicious!
TEX MEX PASTA SALAD - with red and yellow cherry tomatoes, red onions, peppers, sweet corn, avocado, coriander and black beans! Add a zippy Tex Mex dressing and Bob’s your Uncle! This salad goes well with all of your BBQ favorites! I love to use Farfalle for this one, but you can use any pasta shape that you enjoy. Add some cubed cooked meat or cheese and you can easily turn this fabulous salad into a delicious main dish salad!
TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY & ALMOND SALAD - This is a lovely main dish salad. I like to use farfalle (bowtie)pasta for this, whole wheat if I can get. It has the perfect shape to use in a pasta salad. Nice and open, but with a few little pleats to hold in the dressing. The dressing for this salad is delicious. A homemade poppy seed dressing that is lovely and tangy from fresh lemon juice, with a bit of punch from Dijon mustard and sweetness from creamy honey.The salad itself boasts the inclusion of cubed cooked turkey breast. You could also use chicken if you don’t have any turkey. Also in the mix are dried sour cherries for a bit of sweet tartness, sharp red onions, crunchy celery and salted almonds . . . and creamy tangy Gorgonzola cheese.
A deliciously simple Pasta Salad, perfectly sized down for the smaller family.
Ingredients:
115g dry pasta (1 cup), cooked until al dente according to package directions
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
8 Bocchini, halved (mini mozzarella balls)
1/2 each red and orange bell peppers, trimmed and chopped
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and chopped
12 kalamata olives, halved
6 large leaves of basil, rolled and slivered
a small handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 ounces hard dry Italian salami, diced
6 marinated artichokes, quartered
120ml of Italian Salad Dressing (1/2 cup)
3 TBS coarsely grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss together to combine. Cover and chill for half an hour to allow for the flavors to meld. Divide between two serving dishes and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
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STOP mentioning the inferior Canola oil. The safest oil to use is certified Extra Virgin olive oil.