This Zesty Italian Pasta Salad is a great make ahead side dish, and loaded with tomatoes, olives, peppers, herbs, and a bright fresh dressing. My family recipe for Italian Dressing is below- but this pasta salad is great with bottled salad dressing too, if you’re short on time.
This hearty pasta salad is packed with vegetables and great for an appetizer, a light lunch, or a side dish with anything off the grill. This is one crowd pleaser pasta salad that everyone will want seconds of!
There’s nothing better than a big batch of pasta salad for a cookout and BBQ! Whether I’m hosting or heading over to a friend’s place, I always try to make something that I can cook ahead of time. That way I get myself ready day-of, and grab the dish on my way out the door.
This pasta salad takes about 20 minutes to make, and is so much more impressive than a store-bought salad. You can make your own dressing if you’re fancy, or use a bottled Italian dressing. Either way, this is a simple fresh salad everyone will want to dig into.
This Italian Vegetable Pasta Salad Recipe Is:
- Bright
- Crunchy
- Tangy
- Vibrant
- Loaded with Flavor
- Colorful
- Vegetarian
A Great Make-Ahead Italian Pasta Salad for Entertaining
This zesty Italian pasta salad recipe is fantastic to make ahead of time for a party, potluck, or gathering. Making this recipe in advance allows you to skip any cooking or prep on the day-of. This is a great recipe to entertain with, or bring to an event.
If I make this ahead of time, I toss the pasta salad with a little extra dressing before serving for extra flavor. A crowd-pleaser that everyone is sure to love! Check out my other make ahead meals too.
What’s In This Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Recipe?
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- Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Olives, Parsley
- Gluten Free Rotini Pasta: I used this rotini for a fun twist, but you can use any pasta of your choice. And if you’re gluten free or cooking for someone who may be, this great GF rotini can be found here.
- Apple Cider Vinegar, which gives this dressing a little extra tang which is really fantastic! I love using this organic apple cider vinegar with the mother which has a great flavor. I think it gives a nice extra sweetness and depth.
- Italian Seasoning Blend: usually has thyme, basil, rosemary, parsley, etc. I love this bright and flavorful Italian season mix which brings this amazing dish to life.
- 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.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use this fruity Zoe olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s really inexpensive online here, so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry. For the quality of oil you get, it’s an excellent value, I would highly recommend!
- Tellicherry Peppercorns: Like the salt, it’s amazing the flavor difference you can get with really good tellicherry black pepper. Amazon has a generic brand tellicherry peppercorn which is the same price is buying pre-ground, and has a million times more flavor… so I use these really great tellicherry peppercorns, which I would definitely recommend.
- Shredded Cheese, I used cheddar, but this is optional. Skip this for a vegan version (and make sure you don’t use a dressing with cheese).
How Do I Make this Summer BBQ Pasta Salad?
- Boil a large pot of water, and cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water to stop them cooking. Place drained cooled noodles into a large mixing bowl.
- Dice the bell peppers and tomatoes, and halve the olives. Add the veggies to the bowl with the pasta.
- Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar, and shake well to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta and veggies, and toss well to coat. Taste, and season with Salt and Pepper if needed! Add shredded cheddar on top.
- For leftovers – I like to take a quart sized mason jar, fill half with pasta salad, and half with fresh spinach and enjoy for a quick and easy lunch!
Eat Seasonal with This Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad Recipe
This summer vegetable pasta salad is a great way to get in some seasonal fresh produce! Summer time means fresh garden tomatoes, herbs, and bell peppers. Combine all these amazing fresh ingredients into this healthy and delicious summer bbq pasta salad. And add in some fresh chopped garlic for a little extra freshness and taste of summer!
More Zesty Side Dishes For Your Next Cookout or BBQ!
Get the Same Ingredients I Use in My No Mayo Italian Pasta Salad!
As always, if you make this vegetarian zesty Italian pasta salad recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad
- 1 12 ounce box rotini pasta Gluten Free
- 1/2 red onion finely diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes diced
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 14 ounce can black olives drained, and halved
- 1 cup Zesty Italian dressing recipe below
- Himalayan Sea Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
For the Zesty Italian Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup sunflower oil
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning spice blend of thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano, garlic
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water, and cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water to stop them cooking. Place drained cooled noodles into a large mixing bowl.
- Dice the bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, and halve the olives. Add the veggies to the bowl with the pasta.
- Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar, and shake well to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta and veggies, and toss well to coat. Taste, and season with Salt and Pepper if needed! Add shredded cheddar on top.
- For leftovers - I like to take a quart sized mason jar, fill half with pasta salad, and half with fresh spinach and enjoy for a quick and easy lunch!
Notes
Save Money on Organic Produce!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first box by clicking here! If you think organic produce is too expensive... think again, and give Misfits Market a look!Nutrition
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This dish is so simple and tasty. I will use that wonderful dressing on my lettuce salads as well