Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Printable)

Vibrant pasta tossed with crisp veggies and zesty Italian dressing, perfect for warm-weather meals.

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, black olives, and mozzarella pearls.
04 - Pour the prepared Italian dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Toss thoroughly until all components are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Fold in chopped fresh parsley and basil, then toss gently to distribute herbs throughout the salad.
06 - Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or storage container. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and salad to chill thoroughly.
07 - Before serving, taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or dressing as needed.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in about 25 minutes, leaving you more time to enjoy your gathering instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
  • The longer it sits, the better it gets—the flavors meld together into something more delicious than when you first made it.
  • You can prep everything in the morning and dress it just before heading out, making it truly picnic-proof.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cold water rinse after draining the pasta—warm pasta will start cooking the vegetables and make everything mushy instead of crisp.
  • The dressing should smell fragrant and slightly pungent when it's ready; if it smells flat or just oily, your garlic might not have been fresh enough or your vinegar might be too mild.
03 -
  • Taste the dressing by itself before pouring it on the salad—you want it to be boldly flavored because the bland pasta will mellow it out once combined.
  • Keep the parsley and basil separate and add them only right before serving or packing for travel, so they stay vibrant green and don't turn dark from the acid in the dressing.
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