Summer meals are a breeze with this Easy Summer Pasta Salad. Whether you're entertaining or looking for a casual dish, this colorful salad will be a fixture on your menu.
Pasta salads are a summer staple, and this easy summer pasta salad is one of my favorites to eat and to prepare.
Why you will love this salad
I love serving this salad with sandwiches like these deli-style sandwiches or these BBQ bacon chicken sandwiches. You can also serve with grilled chicken or burgers or by itself as a light lunch.
Ingredients
- Pasta - I like using Rotini or Fusilli so the ridges can catch the dressing. Farfalle, Orecchiette, or Cavatappi are also great options.
- Veggies and olives - A rainbow assortment of bell peppers, red onion, and black olives add fresh flavor and great color.
- Pepperoni - I prefer using mini turkey pepperoni. It's bite-sized and is less greasy than traditional pepperoni.
- Dressing - A simple blend of oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano rounds out this salad.
Step-by-step instructions
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package directions. Drain and rinse.
- Combine the pasta, veggies, olives, and pepperoni in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- Whisk together the oil, vinegar, and seasonings.
- Pour the dressing over the other ingredients. Toss to combine.
Tips for pasta salad
- Use your favorite pasta shape or what you have in your pantry. Pasta with ridges or nooks will help to catch the dressing.
- Cook the pasta in salted water. Add 2-3 teaspoons of salt to the water per box of pasta. This flavors the pasta itself.
- Rinse the pasta before assembling the salad. Typically, pasta should not be rinsed, but I prefer to rinse when I make pasta salads. Otherwise, the salad can get gummy from the excess starch.
- Toss with extra vinaigrette if storing for more than 1-2 days. Pasta salad can be served immediately, but refrigerating helps the flavors to blend. If the pasta salad is eaten throughout the week, toss with extra dressing since the pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it sits.
- Vinaigrette-based pasta salad is ideal for warm weather. This recipe does not have a mayo-based dressing, so this salad holds up well outdoors during the warm summer months.
Equipment
Pasta pot | Colander | Mixing bowl | Liquid measuring cup | Measuring spoons
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More pasta salad recipes to try:
Summer Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 16 ounces fusilli (or rotini)
- 1 red pepper (diced)
- 1 yellow pepper (diced)
- 1 orange pepper (diced)
- ¾ cup diced red onion
- 6 ounces black olives (sliced)
- 4 ounces mini turkey pepperoni (or regular-size cut into quarters)
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup grapeseed oil (or similar)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in well-salted water (Note 1) according to package directions. Drain and rinse before transferring the pasta to a mixing bowl. (Note 2)
- Add the diced peppers and onion, sliced olives, and pepperoni to the pasta. Toss to combine.
- Whisk together the red wine vinegar, oil, oregano, and pepper until well combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate to allow flavors to blend. (Note 3)
Notes
- For 1 pound of pasta, add 2-3 teaspoons salt to the pasta water.
- Rinse the pasta before assembling the salad. Typically, pasta should not be rinsed, but I prefer to rinse when I make pasta salads. Otherwise, the salad can get gummy from the excess starch.
- If the salad is stored for 2-3 days, add extra dressing as needed since the pasta will absorb some of it as it sits.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending upon the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
This post was originally published in July 2018 and has been updated.
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