This tasty Classic Italian Veggie Pasta Salad is made with the easiest homemade Italian dressing ever! The salad can be made the night before, making it perfect for Summer BBQs. Everyone always begs for the recipe!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Classic Italian Veggie Pasta Salad
Prep Time 12 minutesminutes
Cook Time 8 minutesminutes
Total Time 20 minutesminutes
Servings 10servings
Calories 272kcal
Author Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons
Ingredients
3cupselbow macaroni(one 12oz box)
1-2cupsof cherry tomatoes
1-2cupsof diced bell peppers
1-2cupschopped broccoli florets
½a large seedless cucumber
finely grated parmesan or feta cheese for topping(choose your favorite)
Bring a large pot of water (about 4 quarts) to a boil and cook pasta per package instructions.
While your noodles cook, chop your veggies and make the dressing.
Whisk all ingredients together and allow to sit. Giving the dressing ingredients some time to mingle will not only infuse flavor into the oil/vinegar but also soften the dry herbs and seasoning.
Boil noodles for around 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, for al dente pasta. To prevent sticking, feel free to add a little bit of oil to the pot. I add a spoonful of my favorite coconut oil and have to refrain from sticking my hand in the pot to eat them prematurely.
Once your noodles are tender and al dente, remove from heat and strain in a colander.
As long as the noodles are hot they'll continue cooking, if you prefer to add the dressing to hot noodles (some say it helps the noodles soak up the flavor) then cook them more on the al-dente side and less tender. If you plan on rinsing your noodles with cold water to halt the cooking process, then you can cook them until they reach your ideal tenderness. Totally a matter of preference! It seems silly to mention it but the last thing I want is for you to end up with mushy noodles, those are about as fun as a bag of wet crayons.
Combine pasta and veggies in a large bowl with your dressing and mix.
Dust the entire bowl with parmesan or feta cheese and dig. on. in.
(see below for make-ahead instructions)
Notes
Make this salad as veggie-heavy as you'd like! Some prefer just a kiss of veggies in a sea of pasta goodness while others (like myself) love to load up on the veggies! Find your happy ratio and run with it.Craving a creamy dressing? Mix the above Italian dressing recipe with your favorite homemade or store-bought Caesar dressing. It's a tad magical!
MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS:
When making this salad the night before, I use the entire batch of dresing for the pasta salad and then make a second 1/2 cup or so of dressing for the following day. Once the pasta has spent 24 hours chilling in the fridge it will have soaked up all your yummy dressing -- adding more coats the pasta and amps up the flavor! We love it!Nutrition facts for the pasta salad and dressing are an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on toppings, additions, and swaps.