Quick Easy Pasta Salad

 

I have prepared this simple pasta salad dish several times, to the point that I have lost track. The dish is very tasty due to the use of fresh vegetables, olives, herbs, mozzarella, and a zesty homemade dressing. You will really like it!

This simple pasta salad can be prepared in less than 20 minutes! You can prepare all the necessary ingredients for this salad in the same amount of time it takes for you to boil your pasta.

The vinaigrette-style dressing is lively, tangy, and uncomplicated! Presumably, you own all the necessary ingredients to prepare it, conveniently located in your kitchen. If you would rather have a pasta salad with a creamy texture, I recommend trying this macaroni salad.

Essential Components

This pasta salad dish is our definitive potluck salad, including all the additional ingredients that we like. If anything fails to ignite your interest, exclude it. It is ultimately your spaghetti salad.

The most suitable pasta for pasta salad are robust pasta forms such as penne, fusilli, rotini, and farfalle (bow tie). These possess the benefit of many crevices and recesses, which ensnare the dressing and fragments of cheese. I have a strong affinity for orzo, which we use in the preparation of this delectable lemon orzo pasta salad.

Vegetables provide vibrant hues, distinct tastes, and a satisfying texture to the pasta salad. I have a big affinity for cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini (which I assure you is delightful), and green onions (which possess a milder flavor compared to typical onions).

Cheese: I have a strong affinity for the delightful flavors of fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Due to the shredded nature of the parmesan, it undergoes a near-melting process inside the dressing, similar to the way handmade Italian dressing is prepared. To make a vegan pasta salad, exclude the cheese.

Olives: I really like the tangy and salty taste of olives. Utilize Kalamata or green olives.

I have a strong affinity for pepperoncini peppers when they are included in this salad! In addition, I include a little amount of brine from the jar into my dressing.

Preferred Herbs: I have a strong affinity for basil and parsley. Conduct your own experiment to determine your own preferences.

Ingredients required for making pasta salad:

1 pound of dry pasta such as fusilli, penne, rotini, or farfalle

1 cup of bell pepper slices, 1 medium-sized

1 cup of zucchini cut thinly, 1/2 of a medium-sized zucchini

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

5 to 6 scallions, finely cut, measuring 1/3 cup

1/4 cup of sliced pepperoncini or banana peppers, if desired

1 cup (4 ounces) of assorted olives, halved

1 cup (2 ounces) of grated parmesan cheese or any kind of hard cheese

1 cup (6 ounces) of chopped fresh mozzarella balls

1/3 cup of fresh parsley or basil, if desired

Homemade dressing

1/3 cup of either red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar

0.5 teaspoon of fine sea salt, with the option to add more according to personal preference

0.5 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper

0.5 teaspoons of dried oregano

Optional: 2 to 3 tablespoons of liquid from a jar of pepperoncini.

0.5 cups of extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions: 1. Heat a generous amount of water in a big saucepan and add salt. Cook the pasta until it is soft and easily chewable, which usually takes between 6 to 10 minutes. Refer to the packaging instructions for the required cooking time. Drain the substance and thoroughly rinse it with cold water.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing in the bottom of a spacious bowl. Combine the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, pepperoncini juice (if desired), and olive oil and mix until well combined. Combine the pasta that has been drained and washed with the dressing and well blend.

Add the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, pepperoncini (if desired), olives, parmesan, mozzarella, and herbs (if desired) to the mixture and stir. Sample the dish to evaluate the seasoning and make any necessary adjustments using salt and pepper. To get optimal results, it is recommended to chill the dish for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 5 days before serving.

Advice from Adam and Joanne

As time progresses, this improves continuously, so planning to do it a day ahead is an excellent suggestion!

Dietary information: The nutrition information given below is approximate. We have used the USDA information to compute approximate values.

Per serving, the nutritional information is as follows: Serving Size: 1/10 of the salad Calories: 363 Total Fat: 19.1g Saturated Fat: 5.1g Cholesterol: 18.3mg Sodium: 507.1mg Carbohydrate: 36.6g Dietary Fiber: 2.3g Total Sugars: 2g Protein: 11.7g