Classic Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
A make-ahead Italian pasta salad built on a scratch vinaigrette, with no mayo and no bottled dressing. The trick is holding back part of the dressing so it stays glossy instead of drying out by serving time.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 391kcal
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 12 ounces fusilli pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 English cucumber diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup black olives sliced
- 1½ cups fresh mozzarella balls ciliegine
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes sliced
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves torn
For the vinaigrette:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dehydrated onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the fusilli in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and let cool completely.
- While the pasta cooks, add all vinaigrette ingredients to a jar and shake until emulsified.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice the cucumber and bell pepper. Thinly slice the red onion. Slice the olives and sundried tomatoes if needed.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olives, mozzarella, and sundried tomatoes.
- Pour about three-quarters of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat. Reserve the rest.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Just before serving, add the reserved vinaigrette and torn basil, and fold through. Taste and adjust with a splash more vinegar or a pinch of salt.
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Hold back about a quarter of the vinaigrette and add it right before serving. The pasta keeps absorbing dressing in the fridge, so this is what keeps it glossy instead of dry.
- Rinse the pasta under cold water and cool it completely before dressing. Warm pasta soaks up the oil and softens the mozzarella to mush.
- Salt the pasta water well. The cooked-and-cooled pasta is the one thing you can't re-season later, so a cold salad won't fix bland noodles.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 541mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 923IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 2mg