Summertime Pasta Salad

❤️ Why We Love This Recipe

• It’s refreshing and light and a great way to beat the summer heat with its cool and 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 – I often choose Mezzetta brand roasted peppers. You can substitute with diced pimiento if you like.
• Fresh basil leaves – Lends a fresh, herbal layer of flavor to the salad.
• Italian, Caesar, Greek, or other Mediterranean-style dressing – Almost any vinaigrette that you like will work in this recipe but will create a very different flavor profile. For example, a red wine vinaigrette will give an entirely different result than a creamy Caesar.

🍳 Tools You’ll Use

• Large mixing bowl
• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Large pot
• Colander
• Measuring cups and spoons

🥄 How to Make Summertime Pasta Salad

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. Admittedly, there is a lot of chopping involved in making this salad, but none of it is difficult.

2. Peel, chop, and seed a large tomato.
3. Next, peel the cucumbers and cut them into small cubes.

👉 PRO TIP: I prefer the Kirby pickling type cucumbers for this salad. They just taste like summer to me.

4. Now remove the stems, ribs, and seeds from the sweet peppers, chop them, and add them to the bowl.
5. Cut the roasted red bell pepper into about ½” pieces and add it, too.
6. Finely chop the celery and green onions adding them to the bowl with the other vegetables.

👉 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.

7. Last, stack up the basil leaves, roll them up like a little cigar, and cut crosswise into ribbon-like shreds. Add to the bowl.
8. Add the cool, well-drained pasta to the bowl.

👉 PRO TIP: I often use a Parmesan and garlic dressing, but you can use any Italian or Mediterranean-type dressing that your family likes. The iconic “zesty Italian” is always good!

9. Pour over the dressing.
10. Add the salt and pepper.
11. Toss everything together until well mixed.

🍚 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.

🔀 Variations and Options

• Include a mix of black and green olives for an extra burst of briny flavor.
• Thinly sliced red onion can add a touch of sharpness and vibrant color.
• Blanch some green beans and cut them into 1″ lengths for a crunchy addition.
• Transform this pasta salad into a main dish by adding grilled chicken or shrimp.

🍽️ 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.

❗ Recipe Tips

• 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.

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Tomato and Avocado Salad

Bowtie Pasta Salad with Grapes

Layered Tortellini Salad

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