Classic Easy Cold Italian Pasta Salad
A vibrant and delicious pasta salad perfect for summer picnics and barbecues. Easily customizable with your favorite ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces of pasta (e.g., rotini or penne)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumbers, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup provolone cheese, cubed
- 1/4 cup Italian dressing
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add your chosen pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (around 8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water to cool it down.
- Prepare the Veggies: While your pasta cooks, prepare the veggies by dicing the cucumbers, halving the cherry tomatoes, and chopping the red onion.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix your cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumbers, red onions, and sliced olives together.
- Add the Cheese and Dressing: Incorporate the cubed provolone cheese and drizzle the Italian dressing over everything. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Toss and Chill: Gently toss everything until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Garnish and Serve: When ready to serve, give the salad another toss, adjust seasoning, and serve garnished with chopped parsley.
Notes
This pasta salad can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. If you have leftovers, add fresh dressing before serving to revive the flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: pasta salad, Italian, cold pasta salad, summer recipes, easy recipes