Summertime Pasta Salad – Lana’s Cooking
My ultimate Summertime Pasta Salad recipe is a vibrant medley of fresh vegetables, perfectly textured pasta, and tangy dressing. It’s great for warm, sunny days filled with backyard get-togethers. Whether you’re hosting a summer soirée or simply craving a refreshing dish, this salad is a great menu choice.
Call me old-fashioned, but I just love a good pasta salad. One that is loaded with fresh veggies and coated with a rich, tangy dressing. Oh, yeah.
That’s right, I’m bringing back the centerpiece of every 1980s cookout. I’m making it my mission to revive the lowly pasta salad. Just ask BeeBop. We’ve had it three times in the last two weeks 😊 And why not? It’s really delicious. And it can be pretty healthy as long as you don’t load it up with lots of cheese and too much dressing.
This Summertime Pasta Salad has more vegetables than pasta and goes fairly light on the dressing. It is a great accompaniment for pretty much anything you want to grill – chicken, fish, shrimp, steaks, burgers – so let’s get started!
Recipe Snapshot: Summertime Pasta Salad
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Primary Ingredients: Pasta, tomato, cucumbers, sweet peppers, roasted bell pepper, celery, onion, dressing
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“There is NOTHING like a great pasta salad on a hot summer day, and this one is terrific!!”
— Smith Bites
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s refreshing and light, a great way to beat the summer heat with its cool, crisp ingredients.
- It’s versatile enough to pair well with most grilled meats, making it an excellent side dish for outdoor barbecues and picnics.
- It’s easy to make with simple preparation and minimal cooking.
- It can be a healthy option by emphasizing the abundance of fresh vegetables and using a moderate amount of dressing.
Ingredient Notes
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- Rotini pasta – You can use any short cut pasta that you like. Fusilli, rotini, or even elbow macaroni will work fine.
- Tomato – Choose nice, ripe (preferably homegrown!) tomatoes for this salad. Beefsteak tomatoes are especially flavorful during the summer.
- Cucumbers – I prefer pickling type (also called salad or Kirby) cucumbers. Use whatever you like.
- Sweet peppers – The sweet “mini” peppers are great, and so are red or yellow bell peppers.
- Roasted red bell pepper – You can roast a red bell pepper if you like, or choose a good jarred brand like Mezzetta. You can also substitute with diced pimiento.
- Fresh basil leaves – They give a nice fresh quality to the salad.
- Italian, Caesar, Greek, or other Mediterranean-style dressing – Almost any vinaigrette that you like will work in this recipe, but some create very different flavor profiles. For example, a red wine vinaigrette will produce an entirely different result than a creamy Caesar.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Recipe Variations and Options
- The iconic “zesty Italian” dressing is always good, but feel free to try different dressings to produce different styles of pasta salad. A favorite variation is to use Ranch dressing and add crumbled bacon.
- Include a mix of black and green olives for an extra burst of flavor.
- Thinly sliced red onion adds a touch of sharpness.
- Transform this pasta salad into a main dish by adding grilled chicken or shrimp.
How to Make Summertime Pasta Salad
STEP 1. Start by cooking half a pound of rotini pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold running water. Let it sit and drain while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Pro Tip
You’ll need a large mixing bowl to hold the salad. Add each of the ingredients to the bowl as you work. Amounts are just a guideline. Add more or less as you prefer.
STEP 2. Peel, chop, and seed a large tomato. Peel the cucumbers and cut them into small cubes. Remove the stems, ribs, and seeds from the sweet peppers, chop them, and add them to the bowl. Cut the roasted red bell pepper into about ½” pieces and add it, too. Finely chop the celery and green onions, adding them to the bowl with the other vegetables. Last, stack up the basil leaves, roll them up like a little cigar, and cut crosswise into ribbon-like shreds. Add to the bowl.
STEP 3. Add the cool, well-drained pasta to the bowl.
Pro Tip
Don’t use too much celery since it has a really strong taste and can overpower the entire salad if you aren’t careful.
STEP 4. Pour over the dressing. Add the salt and pepper.
STEP 5. Toss everything together until well mixed.
- Do your best to chop the ingredients in similarly sized pieces for the best presentation and texture in the salad.
- Use pickling cucumbers for their crispness and summer-like flavor.
- Adjust the amount of dressing according to your preferences, but don’t overload the salad.
- Experiment with different dressings to customize the flavor.
Storage Information
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to three days. Before serving again, give it a good toss to redistribute the dressing and flavors.
How to Make Ahead
Prepare the pasta salad up to 24 hours ahead of time and refrigerate it until serving. Serve cold or at room temperature.
How to Serve
- Serve as a side dish alongside grilled chicken, fish, shrimp, steaks, or burgers.
- Pack it up for a picnic or potluck and enjoy it outdoors.
- Create a refreshing lunch by pairing it with a light soup or sandwich.
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If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
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Cook the rotini according to the package directions. Drain and rinse well under cold running water. Let the rotini drain while preparing the remaining ingredients.
8 ounces rotini pasta
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Add ingredients to a large mixing bowl as you work. Peel, chop and seed a large tomato. Peel the cucumbers and cut into small cubes. Remove the stems and seeds from the sweet peppers, chop them and add to the bowl. Cut the roasted red bell pepper into about 1/2” pieces and add it, too. Finely chop the celery and green onions adding them to the bowl with the other vegetables. Stack the basil leaves, roll up and cut crosswise into ribbon-like shreds. Add to the bowl.
1 large tomato, 2 medium pickling cucumbers, 5 small sweet peppers, 1 roasted red bell pepper, 2 ribs celery, 3 green onions, 4 large basil leaves
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Add the cool, drained pasta to the bowl.
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Pour over the dressing. Add the salt and pepper.
⅔ cup Italian or other Mediterranean-type dressing, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
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Toss everything together until well mixed.
- Try to chop the ingredients in similarly sized pieces for the best presentation and texture in the salad.
- Adjust the amount of dressing according to your preferences, but don’t overload the salad.
- Experiment with different dressings to customize the flavor.
Serving 1Calories 174kcalCarbohydrates 28gProtein 5gFat 5gSaturated Fat 1gPolyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 1gSodium 417mgPotassium 302mgFiber 2gSugar 5gVitamin A 862IUVitamin C 30mgCalcium 32mgIron 1mg
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
