Easy Picnic Pasta Salad (Printable)

A refreshing pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and mozzarella in Italian dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (rotini, fusilli, or penne)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced

→ Cheese

08 - 3/4 cup mozzarella pearls or diced mozzarella

→ Herbs

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (optional)

→ Italian Dressing

11 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Transfer the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red and yellow bell peppers, chopped red onion, sliced black olives, and mozzarella.
04 - Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and basil over the salad. Toss gently to distribute herbs throughout.
06 - Transfer the salad to the refrigerator and allow it to chill for at least 30 minutes. This resting period allows flavors to meld and develop.
07 - Remove from refrigerator and taste the salad. Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better the next day, so you can prep it without stress and actually enjoy your gathering instead of cooking through it.
  • The dressing comes together in less time than it takes pasta water to boil, yet it has that homemade tang that bottled versions can't match.
  • Every bite is different—crisp cucumber, soft mozzarella, briny olives—so it never gets boring even when you're eating it for the third time.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is essential or the residual starch will make everything gluey, and no amount of good dressing can fix that texture.
  • Adding the mozzarella right before serving keeps it soft and creamy, while tossing it in early makes it slightly firm but better distributed—choose based on your mood and how long before people will eat.
03 -
  • If you're bringing this to a gathering, pack it in a container with the lid slightly ajar for the car ride so condensation doesn't make everything soggy, then seal it tight in the fridge once you arrive.
  • Keep extra dressing in a jar to drizzle over individual servings at the table because the salad continues to absorb liquid and might need a final refresh before people eat.
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