Are you ready for summer BBQ season? One of my favorite summer side dishes is pasta salads. There is something filling and refreshing about it- I love the combination of vegetables and soft pasta, covered with a balsamic vinaigrette. Let me show you how to make the easiest and most veggie-packed zesty pasta salad.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Dijon mustard: Adding Dijon mustard to your dressing will help it mix better. This is the base for the dressing.
- Seasoning: I used zesty garlic and Italian seasoning. You could use different seasonings like oregano or basil depending on your preference.
- Balsamic vinegar: This gives the salad a great sweetness and acidity.
- Olive oil: Olive oil helps bring the vinaigrette together.
- Pasta: In this recipe, I am using fusilli pasta. However, you can use other short shapes, like penne or other pasta noodles.
- Vegetables: I am using a mix of my favorite vegetables (peas, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, and black olives). But you can use other vegetables. You can also use small broccoli florets, sliced snap peas, sliced celery, grape tomatoes, and diced carrots.
You can also substitute the dijon mustard, seasonings, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil for a store-bought bottle of balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing.
Ways to Enjoy Every Bite
My grandkids call this "rainbow pasta" and we love changing up our vegetables to make sure everything in the refrigerator gets used.
Our Zesty Pasta Salad is the perfect side dish to bring to your next BBQ or summer potluck. For a main course we recommend cast iron skillet chicken and burrata caprese.
How to Make Zesty Pasta Salad
Step 1: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. One minute before draining, add the peas and corn to the pot with the pasta.
Drain the pasta, peas, and corn and run them under cool water.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard, grated garlic, and seasoning. Add balsamic vinegar and whisk to combine.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Step 3: Add the pasta, peas, and corn to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Next, add the remaining vegetables- tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumbers, and olives, and toss to combine.
Step 4: Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
FAQ
Fusilli is a corkscrew pasta. Our pasta salad recipe is perfect for any pasta that has a lot of surface area like fusilli or rotini.
We do not recommend letting our pasta salad recipe sit in the refrigerator overnight with the dressing. The pasta ends up absorbing too much dressing and can get soggy!
If you want to keep it from sticking together, rinse the pasta with cold water after cooking. This will stop the cooking process and help remove any excess starch from the pasta. Adding a little oil to the water while boiling the pasta can help to keep it from sticking.
Recipe Tips from Mrs. G
- For the best flavor- chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
- Make this for meal prep or lunches. It's light and refreshing but hearty enough to fill you up.
- You can prep most of the veggies beforehand by chopping everything the the day before- cutting down on the time in takes to make dinner.
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftover pasta salad, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Our pasta salad makes a great lunch prep, it feels like a light lunch, but hearty enough to be filling. You can also make this ahead of time by making the pasta and chopping all the vegetables ahead of time. Store ingredients separately and assemble prior to serving.
Zesty Pasta Salad
Equipment
- stock pot to cook pasta
- colander
- whisk for mixing the dressing
- medium bowl
Ingredients
Zesty Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon grated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon dried zesty Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces fusilli or rotini pasta, bow tie pasta or any short pasta will work
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup diced bell pepper mixed-color (or preferred color)
- 1 cup Persian cucumbers sliced into half moons
- ½ cup sliced olives
- fresh basil leave for garnish
Instructions
Zesty Vinaigrette Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard, grated garlic, and Italian seasoning. Add the balsamic vinegar and whisk to combine.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Pasta Salad Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. One minute before draining, add the peas and corn to the pot with the pasta.
- Drain the pasta, peas, and corn and run them under cool water, just until they are no longer hot to the touch.
- Add the pasta, peas, and corn to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Next, add the remaining vegetables-tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumbers, and olives, and toss to combine.
- Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
- Enjoy immediately or chill for an hour before serving. This pasta salad is delicious at room temperature or cold.
Notes
- Cook fusilli or rotini al dente! Overcooking it can become mushy in the salad.
- For the best flavor, chill the salad for at least an hour before serving. This allows the dressing to soak into the fusilli or rotini and vegetables. But letting it sit for too long can cause the pasta to get mushy.
- Dijon mustard helps emulsify the vinaigrette.
- Use fusilli, rotini pasta, bow tie pasta, or any short pasta shape in this recipe.
- You can substitute the dijon, olive oil, seasonings, garlic and balsamic vinegar by using balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
- I love this mix of my favorite vegetables (peas, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, and olives). But you can swap other vegetables. Try small broccoli florets, sliced snap peas, celery, and diced carrots.
- Bow tie pasta with Italian salad dressing
- Banza pasta salad: Banza pasta is my favorite gluten-free option for this recipe.
- Protein-packed: Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas for extra protein.
- Cheesy addition: Sprinkle in feta, mozzarella pearls, or parmesan for a cheesy twist.
- To prep as a make-ahead pasta salad, cook the pasta, and chop the vegetables. Rinse the pasta before storing. Then prepare the dressing.
- Store everything separately in the fridge until you are ready. Then, just before serving mix everything together and add the Italian balsamic dressing.
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