Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing Recipe

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This whole wheat pasta salad with Italian dressing is a bright & fresh side dish to bring to a cookout, tailgate, potluck, or light lunch! Loaded with crisp veggies, hearty cooked noodles, and a zesty Italian dressing.

This delicious pasta salad is one crowd pleaser pasta salad that everyone will want seconds of! Serve up tasty and better meals for you and your family using whole grains.

Want more tasty pasta salad ideas? Try our cottage cheese pasta salad, tzatziki pasta salad, or our favorite Italian bowtie pasta salad!

whole wheat pasta salad recipe with tomatoes olives bell peppers and cheese with italian dressing

Table of Contents

There’s nothing better than a big batch of pasta salad for a summer cookout and BBQ! This whole wheat pasta salad is a great recipe if you’re looking to get more whole grains in your life, as it’s an easy swap! Whole grain pasta is inexpensive, and is easy to make.

Loaded with fresh vegetables, and a quick tangy dressing, this is a great pasta salad to serve any time of year for guests. This easy recipe cooks up quick – the whole recipe (including the cooking process) takes less than 30 minutes total.

Why This Recipe Works

It’s fresh, bright, and crunchy!
A tasty vibrant pasta salad with tons of veggies.
It’s loaded with flavor in each bite.
It’s versatile – you can add your favorite veggies to this dish.
Made with whole grains and whole wheat pasta.

whole wheat rotini pasta salad recipe easy wheat noodle salad ideas with fresh veggies

Family Style Pasta Salads

My mom sent me over this recipe, and was raving about it! Pasta salads are big in our family, and this one was exceptional. As with all pasta salads, the leftovers just get better and better, so I made a double batch for lunches for the rest of the week. The below recipe is a single batch (serves 8) but is very easy to double, or half. This recipe is vegetarian, and can easily be made vegan by leaving out the cheese.

Ingredients for this Whole Wheat Noodle Salad

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Whole Wheat Rotini Pasta: I used this rotini for a fun twist, but you can use any pasta of your choice. Wheat pasta cooks a few minutes longer than white pasta, but it’s worth it! You can use any whole wheat pasta shapes you prefer, it doesn’t have to be rotini.
Sliced Green Pepper
Cherry Tomatoes – I like using fresh juicy tomatoes, but you can also use sundried tomatoes instead.
Red Onion
Black Olives – or kalamata olives
Italian Dressing: There are times when I love making my own salad dressings… and then there are times I skip the hassle and use store-bought Italian Dressing instead! A good tangy vinaigrette is a real time saver.
Oregano: a spice I always put in my pasta salads! This dried oregano has a bright and earthy flavor, and goes so well with the fresh crunchy vegetables.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Fresh herbs – like Italian parsley or fresh basil
Shredded Cheese, I used mozzarella cheese, but this is optional. Skip this for a vegan version (and make sure you don’t use a dressing with cheese).

Substitutions & Variations

To make a Greek pasta salad, swap out the Italian for a red wine vinegar dressing, and substitute feta cheese for the mozzarella. You can also add artichoke hearts too!
For a Mediterranean pasta salad, you can add minced garlic cloves, red peppers, goat cheese, and fresh lemon juice.
And feel free to swap in any vinaigrette dressing (like my easy sweet onion salad dressing) to mix it up!

whole wheat rotini recipes in a bowl with sliced cherry tomatoes black olives italian dressing and parmesan cheese

How To Make This Recipe

Boil a large pot of salted water, and cook rotini al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water to stop them cooking. Set aside.
Dice the tomatoes, slice the peppers into fine bite-sized ribbons, slice the olives, and all all veggies to a large bowl. Add the pasta, and dressing – toss to coat. Add a pinch of oregano, and season with Salt and Pepper if needed! Crumble cheese on top and voila!
Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. This pasta salad is great fresh, but it’s even better the next day!

Recipe FAQs

How long does whole wheat pasta salad last?

Leftover pasta salad will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container. Before enjoying leftover pasta salad, I recommend drizzling a little extra Italian dressing and giving it a good mix.

What’s the best type of whole wheat pasta to use for pasta salad?

I like using rotini shaped pasta, as it’s a great hearty medium-sized pasta that scoops up well on a fork. You can use any variety of whole wheat pasta you prefer – macaroni, penne, or even cut spaghetti are all great choices.

Can you add protein to this salad?

Absolutely! Add in canned chickpeas, cooked chicken or tuna, or even marinated tofu would all be great choices to add to this wheat pasta salad.

More Pasta Salad Ideas

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