Classic Cold Pasta Salad Recipe
Make this classic cold pasta salad, a reliable side dish perfect for potlucks, picnics, and summer gatherings. This recipe uses a simple vinaigrette dressing.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 130 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No Cook (Assembly)
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound rotini or medium shell pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse immediately with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
- While the pasta cools, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, black olives, green bell pepper, and parsley.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. This allows the pasta to absorb the dressing flavor.
- Taste and adjust seasoning before serving your picnic side dish.
Notes
- For a make ahead pasta salad, you can prepare the dressing up to three days in advance and store it separately.
- If you prefer a creamy pasta salad, add 1/2 cup of mayonnaise to the dressing mixture.
- This recipe is easy to scale up for a crowd.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 19
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 9
- Cholesterol: 0