Description
A quick and easy pasta salad featuring rotini pasta, fresh veggies, and a tangy zesty Italian dressing, perfect for summer sides, picnics, and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces rotini or fusilli pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced (optional)
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces of rotini or fusilli pasta and cook according to package directions, usually 8-10 minutes until al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Drain the pasta well in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let the pasta drain completely for about 5 minutes.
- While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, chop the red bell pepper, thinly slice the red onion, slice the black olives if using, shred the carrots, and chop the fresh parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta and all the prepped veggies. Pour the dressing over everything and toss gently but thoroughly to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Rinse pasta with cold water to stop cooking and keep it firm. Adjust dressing seasoning to taste. For gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta. For vegan, replace honey with maple syrup or agave nectar. Chilling the salad for at least 30 minutes improves flavor. Avoid overdressing the salad to keep veggies crisp.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 5
Keywords: pasta salad, summer side dish, easy pasta salad, Italian dressing, rotini pasta, healthy salad, picnic recipe, potluck dish