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Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Recipe (Vegetarian)

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!

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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

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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?

I love shopping for fresh produce through Misfits Market – they sell groceries, healthy pantry staples, and fantastic food finds (even wine!) at a discounted price. Choose your favorite seasonal produce, save up to 40% off grocery store prices & save time by getting free delivery right to your door!

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How Do I Make this Summer BBQ Pasta Salad?

  1. 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.
  2. Dice the bell peppers and tomatoes, and halve the olives.  Add the veggies to the bowl with the pasta.  
  3. Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar, and shake well to combine.
  4. 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.
  5. 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!

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More Zesty Side Dishes For Your Next Cookout or BBQ!

Green Goddess Hummus Recipe (Vegan)
 
 
 
 
 
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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!

Let’s keep in touch – make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get fresh recipes weekly. And don’t forget to follow over on Pinterest, Instagram , & Twitter– I’d love to connect with you there!  

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Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

The Herbeevore
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.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Appetizer, Pasta, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 249 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Pasta Salad

For the Zesty Italian Dressing

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

Calories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 4gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 171mgPotassium: 175mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1110IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 1mg
Keyword garden pasta salad recipe vegetarian, Italian Pasta Salad No Mayo, meatless pasta salad recipes, pasta salad with cheddar cheese, summer vegetable pasta salad, Vegetarian Summer BBQ Pasta Salad Recipes, Vegetarian summer pasta salad
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Posted in Dairy Free, Dressing, Favorites, For Entertaining, Italian, Make Ahead, Meal Prep, Pastas, Salads, Summer Recipes, The Herbeevore Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

3 Comments

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