Quick and Easy Pasta Salad
This easy pasta salad recipe is flexible based on the ingredients you have in your kitchen or the season. Start with a hearty pasta shape with nooks and crannies to hold onto the dressing like rotini or penne. Then toss with our simple dressing and lots of colorful vegetables. We also love adding a handful of fresh mozzarella balls and parmesan cheese, which melts into the dressing. For more suggestions for what to add, read through our recommendations in the article above.
Ingredients
- 1 pounddried pasta like fusilli, penne, rotini or farfalle
- 1 cupsliced bell pepper, 1 medium
- 1 cupthinly sliced zucchini , 1/2 medium
- 1 cuphalved cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cupthinly sliced green onions, 5 to 6 green onions
- ¼ cupsliced pepperoncini or banana peppers, optional
- 1 cuphalved mixed olives
- 1 cupgrated parmesan cheese or other hard cheese
- 1 cupfresh mozzarella balls, chopped
- ⅓ cupfresh parsley or basil, optional
- ⅓ cupred wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
- ½ teaspoonfine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoonfresh ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoondried oregano
- 2 tablespoonsjuice from pepperoncini jar, optional
- ½ cupextra-virgin olive oil
Directions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, 6 to 10 minutes (check the package for recommended cook time). Drain and rinse well under cold water.
- 2
While the pasta cooks, make the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl. Whisk the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, pepperoncini juice (if using), and olive oil until blended. Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the dressing and mix well.
- 3
Stir in the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, pepperoncini (if using), olives, parmesan, mozzarella, and herbs (if using). Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Serve, or for the best results, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days.