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    Profusion Curry » Salads

    Italian Pasta Salad

    Published: Apr 22, 2025 by Prajakta Sukhatme · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest image with text overlay for Italian Pasta Salad Recipe.

    Classic Italian Pasta Salad is a quick, easy & colorful cold summer salad. It is perfect for barbeques, potlucks, and meal prep. Tender cooked pasta, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, fresh herbs and Italian seasoning vinaigrette all tossed together to make this zesty summer salad recipe.

    A bowl full of Italian Pasta Salad with vegetables and cheese.

    We love hearty filling salads.  Lentil Salad, Black Bean and Corn Salad, Mexican Street Corn Salad and Orzo Pasta Salad are all nourishing and filling besides this amazing Italian Pasta Salad.

    This Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe is superbly flavorful, with the perfect mixture of sweet and savory and spicy ingredients. Everything blends together just perfectly. Fresh herbs elevate simple Italian vinaigrette to next level.

    I especially love Mediterranean Recipes that focus on fresh seasonal ingredients. This vegetarian pasta salad is so versatile so adjust the ingredients to your liking. Also it tastes amazing when you serve it chilled. So make it ahead of time.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients used in making vegetarian Italian Pasta Salad Recipe.

    Pasta: Al dente pasta forms the hearty base, soaking up every burst of savory flavor and herb-infused dressing for a balanced, satisfying meal.

    Mozzarella Cheese: Creamy, fresh mozzarella cheese lends a rich, velvety texture that perfectly complements the tangy notes in this classic Italian pasta salad.

    Cucumbers: Crisp cucumbers provide a refreshing crunch and a cool contrast, enhancing the salad’s vibrant, Mediterranean appeal.

    Tomatoes: Juicy, ripe tomatoes add a burst of natural sweetness and tang, elevating the dish with their sun-kissed flavor profile.

    Fresh Basil: Fragrant fresh basil crowns the salad with its aromatic, peppery essence, infusing the recipe with genuine Italian authenticity.

    You can make things incredibly simple by taking advantage of store-bought Italian dressing. Or I have super simple recipe to make it at home.

    How to make Italian Herb Vinaigrette

    ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    ¼ cup red-wine vinegar
    2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
    ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
    ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    Whisk all ingredients together until well combined.

    Easy Substitutions

    • We can call it clean your refrigerator salad too. It’s incredibly customizable, so feel free to substitute in any of your favorite ingredients that you have on hand. Fresh, roasted, marinated or grilled veggies go very well in this.
    • Make it fancy with marinated olives, artichokes and sun dried tomatoes. Some firm fruit like apples, kiwis, cantaloupe or melon will be ok to add too.
    • If you have leftover antipasto ingredients, use them all up. The sky’s the limit to make it to your likings.
    Classic Italian Pasta Salad with tri color rotini, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese and marinade. Perfect summer recipe by ProfusionCurry

    How to make Italian Pasta Salad

    Simply cook up a batch of your favorite pasta. I used tri-color rotini for extra color and texture. You can use any short cut Italian Pasta. Gluten free pasta works well too.

    After pasta is cooked, drain and rinse the pasta quickly in some cold water. It stop the cooking process and pasta becomes al Dante.

    While pasta is cooking, chop all other veggies. Bite-sized pieces work better. Drain the pasta, run the cold water. If possible refrigerate the pasta for an hour.

    Toss everything together. Generously pour the salad dressing / vinaigrette over. Toss toss toss - done and dusted !

    Vibrant and hearty Italian Pasta salad with full of veggies and cheese and flavorful dressing.

    How to Make Pasta in Instant Pot

    1. Making pasta in Instant Pot or electrical pressure cooker is super simple. Pour pasta in the main insert. Add a teaspoon of oil and salt. Pour just enough water to cover the pasta. DO NOT SUBMERGE.
    2. Close the lid. Place the knob in Sealing position. Now the fun part to select the cooking time. Read the cooking time on the pasta package. You want to choose ½ that time minus 1 minute. So for example,  if pasta box suggests you to boil pasta for 8 minutes , for Instant Pot you will do ½ -1 so 3 minutes. ( 8-4-1=3).
    3. Choose Manual 3 minutes high pressure. After Instant Pot does cooking and beeps, Wait for 3 minutes on keep warm timer and release the pressure. ( quick pressure release by turning the knob from sealing to venting)
    4. Carefully open the lid. Dump the pasta in a colander and run cold water over it for few minutes. Your Al Dante pasta is ready.

    Our Favorite Pasta Salad Recipes

    • Greek Fresh pasta Salad
    • Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
    • Orzo Pasta Salad
    • Chickpea Pasta With Broccoli
    • Pasta Fresca
    • Penne Rosa
    Classic Italian Pasta Salad with tri color rotini, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese and marinade. Perfect summer recipe by ProfusionCurry
    Serving classic pasta salad with Italian flavors.

    We would love to hear your feedback!! Use the PIN button in the recipe card or image below to pin this recipe !

    ★ If you make this Italian Pasta Salad Recipe , do let us know how you like it by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below.

    📖 Recipe

    Vibrant and hearty Italian Pasta salad with full of veggies and cheese and flavorful dressing.

    Italian Summer Pasta Salad

    Prajakta Sukhatme
    Italian Pasta Salad is a quick, easy & colorful cold summer salad with cucumbers, grape tomatoes, fresh herbs and Italian seasoning vinaigrette all tossed together for a great potluck dish!
    4.33 from 28 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Colorful Salads
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 10 cups
    Calories 164 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 (12 oz.) box of pasta I used Rotini
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

    Toppings

    • 1 large cucumber diced
    • 2 cups grape tomatoes halved
    • 1 cup mozzarella cheese balls or any Italian cheese cubes
    • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
    • ½ cup red onion diced
    • 1 cup bell peppers I used mini
    • 1 cup favorite Italian dressing

    Instructions
     

    • Boil the pasta with the salt in the water according to the package until al dente.
    • While the pasta is happening, wash and dice all of the vegetables.
    • After the pasta is finished, rinse it under cold tap water. Drain well.
    • In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, and all chopped vegetables. Toss in cheese balls. Drizzle the Italian Herb Vinaigrette on top, then toss to combine.
    • Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and fresh cracked black pepper. Bon appetite!!

    Using Instant Pot for cooking Pasta

    • If using the Instant Pot, cover the pasta with water, season with salt and then cook on Manual HIGH for 4 min and then wait for 3 min keep warm counter and then release the pressure by turning the knob to venting.

    Notes

    If possible, refrigerate the cooked pasta for at least 1 hour before mixing in other ingredients. After you make it, chill it for an hour before serving so all the flavors meld together. 

    How to make Gluten-free Italian Summer Pasta Salad :

    You can use gluten free pasta instead of regular pasta to make this recipe Gluten free .

    How to make Vegan Italian Summer Pasta Salad :

    You can use vegan and dairy free cheese instead of regular cheese to make this recipe Vegan. You can simply skip the cheese as well.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupCalories: 164kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 391mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4g
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @ProfusionCurry or tag #ProfusionCurry!

    ❤️❤️ Follow us on Pinterest , Instagram and Facebook ! We love creating delicious family favorite recipes from around the world. Come Join Us ! ❤️❤️

    Pinterest image for bright and vibrant Italian Pasta Salad with flavorful dressing.

    This recipe was originally published on May 2019. It has revised with better quality photos and modified instructions on July 2024.

    More Healthy Salad Recipes

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      Peach Mango Salsa
    • A large serving bowl with spoon full of classic potato salad with creamy dressing. This summer favorite recipe is perfect for BBQ, picnics and potlucks.
      Classic Potato Salad
    • Quinoa Tabbouleh which is made with cooked quinoa, vegetables and herbs tossed in zesty lemon dressing in a bowl.
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      Asian Cucumber Salad

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    Filed Under: Salads, Side Dishes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lori

      July 08, 2019 at 2:19 pm

      Hello! I just love the Italian Summer Pasta Salad and was wondering how many cups is one serving, as I’m counting calories?
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • admin

        July 08, 2019 at 4:42 pm

        Lori, it's 12 oz pasta plus lots of veggies. so roughly 2 cups of serving

        Reply
    2. Roslia Santamaria

      May 16, 2019 at 12:31 am

      This looks super tasty!! I can’t wait to give it a try! It’s all delicious ingredients ?

      Reply
    4.33 from 28 votes (28 ratings without comment)

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