My ultimate Summertime Pasta Salad recipe is a vibrant medley of fresh vegetables, perfectly textured pasta, and tangy dressing.
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 8servings
Ingredients
8ouncesrotini pasta
1large tomatopeeled and chopped
2medium pickling cucumbers(or 1 large cucumber)
5small sweet peppersor 1 whole green bell pepper
1roasted red bell pepper
2ribscelerychopped
3green onionschopped
4large basil leavescut in chiffonade
⅔cupItalian or other Mediterranean-type dressing
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonblack pepper
Instructions
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.
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.
Add the cool, drained pasta to the bowl.
Pour over the dressing.
Add the salt and pepper.
Toss everything together until well mixed.
Notes
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.