• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Green Valley Kitchen
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet Me
    • Disclosure
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » 30 minutes or less

    Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

    Published: Aug 11, 2019 · Modified: Oct 21, 2022 by Geraldine · 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This zesty vegetarian Italian pasta salad is a quick and tasty recipe filled with bright summer flavors.  An easy recipe to make for parties, BBQ, potlucks or picnics – it’s ready in only 20 minutes.

    Wide shot of serving dish and two bowls with pasta salad with a blue checked napkin and water glass on a table.

    I love cold pasta salads and this easy zesty Italian pasta salad is the one I’ve been making a lot lately.  This is a great pasta salad to share with family and friends at get togethers, BBQs and parties

    Looking for more pasta salads?  Try this greek pasta salad or this caprese pasta salad.

    This is quick and easy to make – it’s full of healthy veggies and packed with flavor.  It has sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, salty black olives, fresh basil and a zesty Italian dressing made with red pepper flakes and oregano.

    Pasta salad recipes are a great make ahead recipe that hold up well in the fridge for a few days.  It works well as both a main meal or side dish.  Leftovers are easy to pack up in individual containers so you have a grab and go lunch ready for the next day.

    Why I’m sharing this recipe

    Easy to make:  Pasta salads are quick and easy to make – this one is ready in 20 minutes.

    Customizable:  This recipe if packed with vegetables but you can easily customize it to include vegetables that your whole family enjoys.

    Stores well:  Cold pasta salads hold up well in the refrigerator so make a big batch.

    Ingredients to make pasta salad in individual ceramic bowls with fresh herbs and a blue and white napkin.

    Key ingredients to make this recipe

    Pasta: I used rotini but penne or fusilli will work as well.

    Vegetables:  This recipe is packed with vegetables – cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts and black kalamata olives.

    Mozzarella:  Fresh is best.  I used small mozzarella balls that I sliced in half.

    Zesty Italian Dressing:  This recipe features a homemade dressing that’s easy to make.

    Side by side shot of pasta salad ingredients in a large white bowl and then salad ingredients tossed with a wooden spoon.

    Step by step instructions

    Step 1:  Boil the pasta in a large pot water according to the package instructions.  Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water until the pasta is cool.

    Step 2:  While the pasta is cooking, prep all the rest of the ingredients and make the salad dressing. 

    Step 3:  Add the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients.  Add the zesty salad dressing to the bowl and toss everything together to combine.

    Close up view of white bowl with pasta salad and a fork.

    Top tips for making this recipe

    What kind of pasta should I use?  I used rotini pasta – a short curly pasta.  Penne or fusilli would be a good choice as well.  Avoid long thin strands of pasta – those won’t work in this dish.

    Can I make this recipe ahead of time?  Yes, you can make this pasta salad ahead of time.  It holds up well in the fridge and by making it ahead of time you allow the flavors to blend.  Give a good stir before serving.

    What else can I add to this zesty Italian pasta salad?  Bell peppers, pepperoncini peppers, broccoli, red onion, sun dried tomatoes, chickpeas or fresh parsley would be good additions to this salad.

    Salt your pasta water.  By adding salt to the pasta water you are adding flavor to the pasta.  Don’t be afraid to add salt to the pasta water – the pasta will not be overly salty.

    Can I make this salad and store it in the refrigerator? 

    Yes! It holds up really well in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days – so make a big batch and store in an airtight container. If making ahead for a party, I would add the basil right before serving for a prettier presentation.

    What’s the difference between regular Italian dressing and zesty Italian dressing?

    Zesty Italian dressing has more zing and flavor due to red pepper flakes being added.

    Can I use bottled dressing?

    If you don’t have the ingredients or don’t want to make your own dressing then you can totally use bottled dressing.  Look for a zesty Italian dressing at your local supermarket.

    Looking for more easy summer salad recipes?  Then try one of these reader favorites:

    • Tomato, cucumber, avocado salad – everyone loves this one!
    • Israeli Couscous Salad with Summer Vegetables – easy to make and full of fresh veggies.
    • Greek Pasta Salad – a cool refreshing pasta salad with greek flavors.

    Want to stay in touch?  You can subscribe to receive free recipes or find me on Pinterest and Instagram too.

    If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please come back and leave a comment and rating.  I’d love to hear from you!

    Print

    Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 3 reviews

    This zesty vegetarian Italian pasta salad is a quick and tasty recipe filled with bright summer flavors.  An easy recipe to make for parties, BBQ or picnics – it’s ready in only 20 minutes.

    • Author: Geraldine
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 mins
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
    • Category: Pasta Salad
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 8 oz of dried pasta – I used rotini
    • 2 cups of cherry tomatoes sliced in half
    • 1/2 cup roasted red pepper – chopped into small pieces.
    • 1/2 cup of marinated artichoke hearts – chopped into small pieces
    • 15 to 20 black kalamata olives – minced
    • 8 oz fresh mozzarella – I used ciliegine (small balls) – cut in half

    Dressing:

    • 4 Tbs olive oil
    • 2 Tbs red wine vinegar
    • 2 small cloves of garlic minced
    • 1/2 tsp red pepper
    • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
    • pinch of salt
    • 8 twists of fresh black pepper from a pepper mill

    Instructions

    1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Drain pasta when ready and rinse under cold water until cool.  Drain throughly before adding to a large bowl.
    2. Prep and chop all the veggies and cheese while the pasta is cooking.
    3. Add veggies and cheese to the bowl with the cooled pasta.
    4. Mix together dressing ingredients and add to the pasta, veggies and cheese in the bowl.  Toss to combine and serve.

    Notes

    I used jarred roasted red peppers and marinated artichokes that I got at Trader Joes.

    Add salt (1 tbs) to the cooking water before adding the dried pasta.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 of 6
    • Calories: 324
    • Sugar: 2.3g
    • Sodium: 372mg
    • Fat: 18.2g
    • Saturated Fat: 5.6g
    • Carbohydrates: 26g
    • Fiber: 1.3g
    • Protein: 15.7g

    Keywords: Summer Pasta Salad, Quick and Easy Pasta Salad

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

    More 30 minutes or less

    • Farro Salad
    • Avocado Spread with Cherry Tomatoes
    • Ravioli With Sauteed Asparagus and Walnuts
    • Quinoa Chickpea Salad (Healthy)

    Filed Under: 30 minutes or less, Pasta Tagged With: Artichokes, Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Olives, Pasta, Pasta Salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Sheila

      August 16, 2019 at 9:28 am

      This is a lovely colorful salad that takes 15 mins from start to finish to make. And who knew those little mozzarella balls had such a wonderful name ….ciliegine.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Geraldine

        August 17, 2019 at 12:08 pm

        Thanks, Mom! Love that you make all my recipes! XO

        Reply
    2. Kelly | Foodtasia

      August 14, 2019 at 8:38 am

      Geraldine, I love a pasta salad and this one has all my favorite flavors! So craving this for dinner!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Geraldine

        August 17, 2019 at 12:06 pm

        Thanks so much, Kelly!

        Reply
    3. Traci | Vanilla And Bean

      August 14, 2019 at 7:33 am

      What a flavor packed pasta salad, Geraldine! The shape of the pasta is so fun and I love how it makes a blank canvas for all the flavor and textures you’ve got going on! Because it can hold in the fridge means I can make once and eat all week! Hooray!

      Reply
      • Geraldine

        August 17, 2019 at 12:06 pm

        This is a great make ahead salad, Traci – I’ve been making a big batch and then have lunch set for the week!

        Reply
    4. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen

      August 12, 2019 at 2:36 pm

      I love easy, flavor-packed pasta salads like this for summer Geraldine! Such a delicious list of ingredients. I’ll need to get this one on our menu for our next summer party!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Geraldine

        August 17, 2019 at 12:07 pm

        Thanks, Mary Ann – hope you try it!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I’m Geraldine. On Green Valley Kitchen, I’m sharing easy, fresh and healthy vegetarian recipes that anyone can make.

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup
    • Baked Tortellini (Easy and Cheesy!)
    • Old Fashioned Brownies
    • Vegetarian Chili
    • Greek Pasta Salad
    • Tomato Mozzarella Avocado Salad

    Categories

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About Us | Privacy Policy | Subscribe

    COPYRIGHT © 2023 · Green Valley Kitchen