Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Printable)

A colorful pasta dish tossed with crisp veggies and zesty Italian dressing, ideal for warm weather meals.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as rotini, fusilli, or penne

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced

→ Cheese

08 - 3/4 cup mozzarella pearls or diced mozzarella

→ Herbs

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

→ Italian Dressing

11 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and mozzarella.
04 - Pour the Italian dressing over the salad mixture. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Add chopped parsley and basil to the salad. Toss gently to distribute herbs throughout.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, leaving you time to actually enjoy your picnic instead of sweating in the kitchen.
  • Cold pasta salads taste even better the next day, so this is your secret weapon for meal prep without any pretense.
  • You can throw it together with whatever vegetables are sitting in your crisper, so it's nearly impossible to mess up.
02 -
  • If you add the dressing right after cooking the warm pasta, it'll absorb too much liquid and taste soggy by the time you eat it, so always cool the pasta first.
  • Taste it before you pack it for the picnic because cold food always needs more salt and acid than you think it does.
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables right before assembly if you want them to stay crisp, or cut them the night before and store them separately in airtight containers.
  • Make extra dressing because you'll want to drizzle more over the salad right before serving, as some of it gets absorbed during chilling.
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