This Italian pasta salad is perfect for your next potluck or barbecue. It features a zesty Italian vinaigrette, fusilli or rotini pasta, and a colorful rainbow of fresh vegetables. Everyone will love this pasta salad with Italian dressing, and it’s so easy to make. So what are you waiting for? Make this summer salad today!
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Perfect Salad for Summer
This cold pasta salad with Italian dressing and cucumbers is perfect for summertime because it is light and refreshing. The cold pasta has a lot of unique flavors, perfect for the hot weather.
The rainbow of fresh vegetables adds a beautiful array of colors with crunch and flavor to the rotini pasta salad. The zesty Italian dressing made from balsamic vinaigrette gives this pasta salad a tasty kick.
The best part is that this dish is so easy to make. You just need to cook the pasta, chop up some vegetables, whisk together the Italian dressing, and mix everything before serving. That’s it!
You’ll love this delicious rainbow pasta salad!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Dijon mustard – Adding Dijon mustard to your dressing will help it mix better and give it a delicious taste. This will make it more flavorful and easier to eat.
- Seasoning – I used garlic and Italian seasoning. You could use different seasonings like oregano or basil depending on your preference. Feel free to make it your own!
- Balsamic vinegar – gives the salad a great sweetness and acidity.
- Olive oil – this recipe recommends using good, extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil helps bring the vinaigrette together. Don’t substitute this.
For the Pasta Salad
- Pasta – In this recipe, I am using fusilli pasta. But you can also use other short pasta shapes if you want.
- Vegetables – I am using a mix of my favorite vegetables (peas, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, and olives). But you can use other vegetables if you want. You can also use small broccoli florets, sliced snap peas, sliced celery, and diced carrots.
Equipment Used for Rainbow Pasta Salad
- Large serving bowl – for the salad
- Whisk – for the salad dressing
- Large saucepan or stockpot – for cooking pasta
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Making the Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette
Mix the dijon mustard, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a large bowl. Then add the balsamic vinegar to the bowl and whisk them together.
Slowly pour the olive oil in while whisking the other ingredients. This helps to emulsify the dressing
Season the balsamic dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Then set it aside.
For the Rainbow Pasta Salad
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to the water.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add the peas and corn to the pot one minute before the pasta is done cooking.
Drain the pasta, peas, and corn and run them under cool water. This will stop them from being hot to the touch.
Add the pasta, peas, and corn to the bowl. Then add the dressing and mix everything.
Next, add the tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumbers, and olives. Then toss everything together.
If needed, season your food with additional salt and pepper. You can also add some fresh basil for decoration.
You can enjoy this pasta salad now, or wait until it is cold because it will taste great either way.
Make ahead directions: To prep as a make-ahead pasta salad, cook the pasta and chop the vegetables. Rinse the pasta before storing. Then prepare the dressing.
Store everything separately in the fridge until you are ready. Then, just before serving, mix everything together and add the Italian balsamic dressing.
Storage: If you have leftover balsamic vinaigrette pasta salad, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Recipe Variations
- Bow tie pasta salad with Italian dressing: Use a bow tie pasta instead of fusilli or rotini in this recipe.
- Banza pasta salad: Banza pasta is my favorite gluten-free option for this balsamic vinaigrette pasta salad recipe.
Love pasta recipes?
Then you’ll love our other pasta recipes, like pasta with meat sauce, tortellini Caprese salad (another perfect summer salad), tortellini Caprese skewers (the ultimate appetizer), rigatoni Pomodoro (a rich pasta dinner), or classic lasagna.
Frequently asked questions
The main difference between rotini and fusilli is the shape. Rotini is a spiral-shaped pasta, while fusilli is a corkscrew-shaped pasta. They both have lots of surface area for the dressing to cling to, making them perfect for pasta salad with zesty Italian dressing.
No, they are not the same. But they are similar. Balsamic vinaigrette is made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and other seasonings like garlic and Italian seasoning. Italian dressing is usually made with white vinegar, oil, herbs, and spices.
I would not recommend adding the dressing ahead of time. The pasta will absorb the dressing, and it might get soggy.
If you want to prep it as a make-ahead balsamic salad, cook the pasta and chop the vegetables. Then prepare the dressing. Store everything separately in the fridge until you are ready. Then, just before serving, mix everything together and add the Italian balsamic dressing.
If you want to keep the pasta from sticking together, rinse it with cold water after cooking. This will stop the cooking process and help remove any excess starch from the pasta. Adding a little oil to the pasta water can help to keep it from sticking.
This veggie rotini pasta salad is a great side dish for any type of grilled meat. It is also good on its own as a light lunch or dinner.
Get our full zesty Italian Pasta Salad here
Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
Equipment
- large serving bowl - (for the salad)
- whisk - (for the salad dressing)
- large saucepan or stockpot - (for pasta)
Ingredients
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon grated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
For the Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces fusilli or rotini pasta (bow tie pasta or any short pasta will work)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup mixed-color diced bell pepper
- 1 cup Persian cucumbers sliced into half moons
- ½ cup sliced olives
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard, grated garlic, and Italian seasoning.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and whisk to combine.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
For the Pasta Salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package directions. One minute before draining the pasta, add the peas and corn to the pot with the pasta.
- Drain the pasta, peas, and corn and run them under cool water– just until they are no longer hot to the touch.
- Add the pasta, peas, and corn to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine.
- Next add the remaining vegetables– tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumbers, and olives. Toss to combine.
- Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
- Enjoy immediately or chill until ready to serve. This pasta salad is delicious at room temperature or cold.
- Storage: Store any leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
- Dijon mustard helps emulsify the vinaigrette and adds a delicious tang.
- This recipe uses vinaigrette with garlic and Italian seasoning, but you could use anything you like, such as herbs de Provence, red pepper flakes, etc.
- Balsamic vinegar adds a great sweetness and acidity to the vinaigrette.
- Olive oil helps bring the vinaigrette together. I recommend a good quality extra virgin olive oil in this recipe.
- Use fusilli, rotini pasta, bow tie pasta, or any short pasta shape in this recipe.
- I love this mix of my favorite vegetables (peas, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, and olives). But you can swap other vegetables. Try small broccoli florets, sliced snap peas, celery, and diced carrots.