Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Printable)

Colorful salad with pasta, fresh veggies, mozzarella, and zesty Italian dressing for summer enjoyment.

# 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, optional

→ 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 Prepare:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and mozzarella. Mix gently to combine.
04 - Pour prepared Italian dressing over the salad mixture. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Fold in chopped fresh parsley and basil. Toss again to distribute herbs throughout the salad.
06 - Transfer salad to refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and salad to reach optimal temperature.
07 - Remove from refrigerator, taste the salad, and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, and tastes infinitely fresher than anything delivered.
  • The flavors actually improve as it sits, so you can prep it hours ahead without any stress.
  • Everyone eats it—from the pickiest eaters to the adventurous ones—because it's colorful, crunchy, and genuinely delicious.
02 -
  • Never skip rinsing the hot pasta under cold water—warm pasta absorbs the dressing unevenly and can turn mushy before you're done prepping everything else.
  • Make the dressing first and let it sit while you prepare the vegetables, because the flavors marry better and the garlic has time to soften its rawness.
  • Always taste the salad before serving and adjust the seasoning, because pasta and vegetables are bland canvases that need bold flavors to shine.
03 -
  • Use a jar with a tight-fitting lid to make the dressing—shake it for thirty seconds and it emulsifies beautifully, and you can make it ahead and store it in the refrigerator.
  • Taste the pasta while it's still warm and slightly salty from the cooking water, before you combine it with everything else, so you know whether you need to adjust the final seasoning.
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